Powerful Winter Imagery in Edith Whartons Ethan Frome :: Ethan Frome Essays

Powerful Winter Imagery in Edith Whartons Ethan Frome Ethan Frome, the title character of Edith Whartons tragic novel, lives in his suffer world of silence, where he replaces his scarcity of words with images and fantasies. There is striking imageism in the imagery, predominantly that of wintertimetime which connotes frigidity, detachment, bleakness and seclusion. Twenty-eight year old Ethan feels confine in his hometown of Starkfield, Massachusetts. He marries thirty-four year old Zeena after the death of his mother, in an unsuccessful take on to escape the silence, isolation, and loneliness of life (Lawson 71). Several historic period after their marriage, cousin Mattie Silver is asked to relieve Zeena, a gaunt and sallow hypochondriac, of her household duties. Ethan finds himself falling in love with Mattie, drawn to her youthful energy, as, The pure air, and the dour summer hours in the open, gave life and elasticity to Mattie (Wharton 60). Ethan is attrac ted to Mattie because she is the antithesis of Zeena. While Mattie is young, happy, healthy, and beautiful like the summer, Zeena is seven years honest-to-goodness than Ethan, bitter, ugly and sickly cold like the winter (Lewis 310). Zeenas strong, dominating personality emasculates Ethan, while Matties feminine, effervescent youth makes Ethan feel like a real man. cussed to his characteristic passiveness, he defies Zeena in Matties defence, You cant go, Matt I wont let you Shes Zeenas always had her way, but I mean to have mine now - (Wharton 123). To Ethan, Mattie is radiant and energetic. He sees possibilities in her beyond his trite life in Starkfield, something truly worth standing up for. Her energy and warmth excite him and allow him to escape from his lonely, categoric life. While Zeena is visiting an out of town doctor, Ethan and Mattie, just in the house, intensely feel her eerie presence. The warmth of their evening together is brought to an abrupt end by t he accidental breaking of Zeenas prized saucer. Zeenas fury at the breaking of an impractical pickle dish exemplifies the rage she must feel about her useless life. That the pickle dish has never been used makes it a strong symbol of Zeena herself, who prefers not to take part in life (Lawson 68-69). Ethans response to Zeenas rage was Powerful Winter Imagery in Edith Whartons Ethan Frome Ethan Frome EssaysPowerful Winter Imagery in Edith Whartons Ethan Frome Ethan Frome, the title character of Edith Whartons tragic novel, lives in his own world of silence, where he replaces his scarcity of words with images and fantasies. There is striking symbolism in the imagery, predominantly that of winter which connotes frigidity, detachment, bleakness and seclusion. Twenty-eight year old Ethan feels trapped in his hometown of Starkfield, Massachusetts. He marries thirty-four year old Zeena after the death of his mother, in an unsuccessful attempt to escape the silence, isolation , and loneliness of life (Lawson 71). Several years after their marriage, cousin Mattie Silver is asked to relieve Zeena, a gaunt and sallow hypochondriac, of her household duties. Ethan finds himself falling in love with Mattie, drawn to her youthful energy, as, The pure air, and the long summer hours in the open, gave life and elasticity to Mattie (Wharton 60). Ethan is attracted to Mattie because she is the antithesis of Zeena. While Mattie is young, happy, healthy, and beautiful like the summer, Zeena is seven years older than Ethan, bitter, ugly and sickly cold like the winter (Lewis 310). Zeenas strong, dominating personality emasculates Ethan, while Matties feminine, effervescent youth makes Ethan feel like a real man. Contrary to his characteristic passiveness, he defies Zeena in Matties defence, You cant go, Matt I wont let you Shes Zeenas always had her way, but I mean to have mine now - (Wharton 123). To Ethan, Mattie is radiant and energetic. He sees pos sibilities in her beyond his trite life in Starkfield, something truly worth standing up for. Her energy and warmth excite him and allow him to escape from his lonely, monotonous life. While Zeena is visiting an out of town doctor, Ethan and Mattie, alone in the house, intensely feel her eerie presence. The warmth of their evening together is brought to an abrupt end by the accidental breaking of Zeenas prized dish. Zeenas fury at the breaking of an impractical pickle dish exemplifies the rage she must feel about her useless life. That the pickle dish has never been used makes it a strong symbol of Zeena herself, who prefers not to take part in life (Lawson 68-69). Ethans response to Zeenas rage was