Ethan Frome: Characterization, Prisoner Theme, and Villainy

In Edith Wharton's novella, Ethan Frome, the protagonist (Ethan Frome) was a prisoner to many forces. He was "trapped" in the instances of his wife, society's affect on that relationship, poverty, his home in Starkfield, love, illness, disability, and life.

Ethan was a prisoner to his relationship with his wife, Zeena. Because Zeena took care of his mother as she was dying, Ethan felt obligated to marry her. When Mattie Silver came into the house, and he fell in love with her, Ethan felt nothing but contempt for Zeena. Society and moral desires put such a constraint on Ethan's conscience that he resented Zeena for his passions directed toward a woman who was not his wife. As Ethan and Mattie sat at home while Zeena was away, Ethan cannot help but be reminded of his domestic duties to his wife. At the end of the story, he plans to elope and run away with Mattie, but he cannot bring himself to lie to his neighbors in order to obtain the necessary money. In the end, Ethan leaves the battle between his desires and society's pull by choosing to abandon life itself.

Ethan was a prisoner to poverty. When he was young, Ethan longed to leave his family farm in Starkfield (and all that the town's name suggests) by moving to a larger town to become an engineer. Lacking the monetary capability to carry out these means, Ethan was "trapped" in Starkfield for life. The family gravestones in Ethan's yard are a frequent reminder that there is no hope for Ethan to ever escape.

Ethan was a prisoner to illness and disability. Ethan felt an obligation to marry Zenna because of his mother's illness. Throughout their marriage, Ethan had to take care of Zeena when she felt ill (which was quite often), and he never allowed her any positive attributes because of this. He presented Mattie as the epitome of youth and beauty. Despite Ethan's desires to be rid of one sickly woman (Zeena), he ended up with two, after Mattie nearly died in accident. Ethan also was a prisoner to his own poor health after the accident, leaving him somewhat crippled (also being a prisoner to life, considering that his attempted suicide with Mattie was a failure).