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Ethan Frome (Penguin Classics) by Edith…
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Ethan Frome (Penguin Classics) (original 1911; edition 2005)

by Edith Wharton, Elizabeth Ammons (Editor)

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingMentions
9,451213816 (3.62)776
Ethan Frome, a poor, downtrodden New England farmer is trapped in a loveless marriage to his invalid wife, Zeena. His ambition and intelligence are oppressed by Zeena's cold, conniving character. When Zeena's young cousin Mattie arrives to help care for her, Ethan is immediately taken by Mattie's warm, vivacious personality. They fall desperately in love as he realizes how much is missing from his life and marriage. Tragically, their love is doomed by Zeena's ever-lurking presence and by the social conventions of the day. Ethan remains torn between his sense of obligation and his urge to satisfy his heart's desire up to the suspenseful and unanticipated conclusion.… (more)
Member:Rigor
Title:Ethan Frome (Penguin Classics)
Authors:Edith Wharton
Other authors:Elizabeth Ammons (Editor)
Info:Penguin Classics (2005), Paperback, 128 pages
Collections:Your library
Rating:*****
Tags:None

Work Information

Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton (Author) (1911)

  1. 30
    Silas Marner by George Eliot (kxlly)
  2. 20
    Remembering Laughter by Wallace Stegner (BookshelfMonstrosity)
    BookshelfMonstrosity: In Remembering Laughter a woman confronts her husband's escalating use of alcohol; in Ethan Frome the title character's wife is difficult and demanding. Both novels elegantly depict a husband obsessed with his wife's sister, resulting in a love triangle with tragic consequences.… (more)
  3. 10
    The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne (PilgrimJess)
    PilgrimJess: Another tale of a character seeming weighed down by social and moral constraints.
  4. 10
    Kamouraska by Anne Hébert (charlie68)
    charlie68: Similar themes
  5. 00
    The Reader by Bernhard Schlink (1Owlette)
  6. 00
    Bunner Sisters by Edith Wharton (FernandoH)
  7. 00
    Bewitched [Short Story] by Edith Wharton (aprille)
  8. 01
    Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë (charlie68)
  9. 05
    Brokeback Mountain by Annie Proulx (1Owlette)
1910s (1)
AP Lit (153)
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» See also 776 mentions

English (208)  Spanish (4)  French (1)  All languages (213)
Showing 1-5 of 208 (next | show all)
kind of meandering and tedious at times but at the same time a great book that now that i have finished and can look back on is even more enjoyable ( )
  highlandcow | Mar 13, 2024 |
I haven't read this since the 10th grade, but I remember it pretty well, which makes me think it must have been good. Also, as Nathan mentions, it's pretty much the go-to literary reference when talking about big bummers, so it gets some cred for that, too. ( )
  LibrarianDest | Jan 3, 2024 |
That was a smash-up conclusion at the climax of this claustrophobic chamber drama. The central characters include not only Ethan, Zenobia, and Mattie but Winter as well. It casts its heavy mantle on half of each Berkshire year, driving people indoors, turning them inward, and occasionally tempting them to sled down the hill on crisp moonlit nights. At the bottom, a large elm looms; its role as nemesis is clear. From the first mention, the reader is as sure as when a rifle hangs over the fireplace in a Chekhov play that this will play a crucial role in the plot. The suspense lies in not knowing how until the end.
Wharton’s depiction of a loveless couple locked in a malignant embrace had me siding with Ethan (after all, the novella isn’t named Zenobia) until I realized that Wharton had mentioned in passing that nearly every woman in town was ailing. She never explores why; it’s just the way it was. Coupled with winter was a grinding poverty and the desperation it brought with it. The result is as ineluctable as Greek tragedy. ( )
  HenrySt123 | Dec 31, 2023 |
Lots of great sentences, and the narrative is lurid enough to pull you in. But Edith Wharton was not a poor New England farmer, and I never became convinced she knew the first thing about this world and what motivated its inhabitants. Also, it's full of the kind of heavy-handed symbolism that literature teachers love but really does not appear in Wharton's other works. I can just hear English teachers in my head asking, "what does the pickle dish symbolize? and what is the significance of the cat?" Blah!

https://donut-donut.dreamwidth.org/869035.html ( )
  amydross | Dec 23, 2023 |
I first read Ethan Frome in high school, and I'll never forget the ending. It's so poignant and destructive and so complete. It's just as haunting the second time around.

Of course, what makes the ending so memorable is the cast of characters. You can feel their dependence on each other and growing entrapment. Zeena, Ethan, and Mattie all need each other but also destroy each other. Reading about them gives me chills, but I love it! Normally, I prefer to read happy books like Jane Austen, but this book sticks around and really warns readers about fearing loneliness and making rash decisions based on that. I think everyone can relate to this book in some way or another.

If you want a haunting tale with unique characters or the tragic equivalent to an Austen book, I highly recommend Edith Wharton. ( )
  readerbug2 | Nov 16, 2023 |
Showing 1-5 of 208 (next | show all)
It will only take you the afternoon, but it’s shocking snowy ending will leave you pondering it for days.
 

» Add other authors (142 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Wharton, EdithAuthorprimary authorall editionsconfirmed
Ammons, ElizabethIntroductionsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Amoruso, VitoIntroductionsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Angelini, LucioTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Anthoensen, FredDesignersecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Appelbaum, StanleyEditorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Augelini, L.Translatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Álvarez Flórez, José ManuelTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Bartelli, JosephIllustratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Basset, JenniferSeries Editorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Begley, Sarah Higginsonsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Belge, TaciserTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Benitez, PaulaEditorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Blackall, Jean FrantzContributorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Blake, ShebaAuthorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Bloom, HaroldIntroductionsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Brick, ScottNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Brown, JeffreyIllustratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Carabine, KeithSeries editorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Castro, FranciscoEditorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Cheshire, GerardContributorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Cooper, Frederic TaberContributorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Dal Fabbro, Emanuelasecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
De Voto, BernardIntroductionsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Delaney, KathrynCover designersecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Ducci, GretiTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Dupuis, Jean-IvesEditorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Fabbro, E. DalTraduttoresecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Fadiman, CliftonIntroductionsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Flanagan, MaryIntroductionsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
French, MarilynIntroductionsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Fryer, JudithContributorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Gerlings, CharlotteIntroductionsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Giorcelli, Cristinasecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Griffin Wolf, CynthiaIntroductionsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Grumbach, DorisIntroductionsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Guidall, GeorgeNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Hannau, MarcellaTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Hébert, C MNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
He, MichaelIllustratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Hedge, Triciasecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Hickman, TracyEditorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Higginson Begley, SarahEditorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Hope, WilliamNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Houweling, DjukeTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Hutchinson, EmilyAbridged edition bysecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Jacobs, JoniCover designersecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Kaarma, JüriKujundaja.secondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Kazin, AlfredAfterwordsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Kennedy, Paul E.Cover designersecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Killavey, JimNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Kingsley, SusanAdaptersecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Klett, ElizabethNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Knights, PamelaIntroductionsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Kuusik, TerjeToimetaja.secondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Lauer, Kristin O.Editorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Lewis, R W BContributorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Leyris, PierreTraductionsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Ljungquist, KentIntroductionsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Lo Porto, TizianaTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
MacDonald, JohnNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Marshall, ScottContributorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
McCaddon, WandaNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
McConnell, JamesIllustratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Montoto, NatalieEditorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Moore, SusannaAfterwordsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Munn, Helen T.Forewordsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Pàmies, XavierTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Pérez, ÁngelaTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Peel, EdithEditorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Peel, RobinEditorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Pez, GelaTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Pierantoni, LauraNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Pisanti, TommasoEditorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Poor, Henry VarnumIllustratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Raphael, LevContributorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Rasy, ElisabettaIntroductionsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Recarey Rendo, Celiasecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Rodríguez Barilari, ElbioPrefacesecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Rogers, BruceDesignersecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Rosenwald, Edith GoodkindDonor.secondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Sage, Lornasecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Sergeant, Elizabeth ShepleyContributorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Shi, YuanIllustratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Showalter, ElaineEditorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Shreve, AnitaForewordsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Sims, AdamNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Singley, Carol J.Editorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Suursalu, KarinTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Thomas, RichardTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Tomanek, JosephCover Artsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Trilling, LionelContributorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Twachtman, JohnCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Van Deusen, E HContributorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
varez Flez, JosManuelTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Vaseghi, SamEditorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Voto, Bernard DeIntroductionsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Waid, CandaceContributorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Wenner, ClaudiaTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Wilkie, Pamela ScottCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Wolff, Cynthia GriffinIntroductionsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Wolkenstein, JulieTraductionsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Wright, Carroll DContributorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Ziga, CharlesDesignersecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
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I had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and, as generally happens in such cases, each time it was a different story. (Author's Introductory Note)
The village lay under two feet of snow, with drifts at the windy corners.
Quotations
He never turned his face to mine, or answered, except in monosyllables, the questions I put, or such slight pleasantries as I ventured. He seemed a part of the mute melancholy landscape, an incarnation of its frozen woe, with all that was warm and sentient in him fast bound below the surface; but there was nothing unfriendly in his silence. I simply felt that he lived in a depth of moral isolation too remote for casual access, and I had the sense that his loneliness was not merely the result of his personal plight, tragic as I guessed that to be, but had in it, as Harmon Gow had hinted, the profound accumulated cold of many Starkfield winters.
...we came to an orchard of starved apple-trees writing over a hillside among outcroppings of slate that nuzzled up through the snow like animals pushing out their noses to breathe. Beyond the orchard lay a field or two, their boundaries lost under drifts, and above the fields, huddled against the white immensities of land and sky, one of those lonely New England farmhouses that make the landscape lonelier.
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Ethan Frome, a poor, downtrodden New England farmer is trapped in a loveless marriage to his invalid wife, Zeena. His ambition and intelligence are oppressed by Zeena's cold, conniving character. When Zeena's young cousin Mattie arrives to help care for her, Ethan is immediately taken by Mattie's warm, vivacious personality. They fall desperately in love as he realizes how much is missing from his life and marriage. Tragically, their love is doomed by Zeena's ever-lurking presence and by the social conventions of the day. Ethan remains torn between his sense of obligation and his urge to satisfy his heart's desire up to the suspenseful and unanticipated conclusion.

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The setting for this piercing New England novel is the aptly named Starkfield, where, despite violently blue skies, the chill of cold and snow seems also to settle inside the hearts of the people who live there. Tethered to his farm, first by helpless parents, later by his querulous, hypochrondriac wife, Zeena, Ethan Frome ekes out a bare subsistence. Then Zeena's cousin, the impoverished, enchanting Mattie Silver comes to work for them and, in Mattie, Ethan's hopes and dreams are rekindled. Yet theirs is a forbidden love, hemmed in by Zeena's presence. The impossible intensity in which the three exist has devastating consequences...
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Penguin Australia

4 editions of this book were published by Penguin Australia.

Editions: 0142437808, 0451531310, 0143105930, 0141389400

Tantor Media

2 editions of this book were published by Tantor Media.

Editions: 1400100631, 1400108527

Recorded Books

An edition of this book was published by Recorded Books.

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Urban Romantics

2 editions of this book were published by Urban Romantics.

Editions: 1909438847, 1909438855

 

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