They say that if you give a man the necessary tools and supplies, he will build
himself a trap. This trap is made unconsciously; therefore, it cannot be
escaped; the solution cannot be found. The only solution that suffices is to
live with this trap, sadly, for life. But is it the only solution? In Edith
Wharton's romantic, yet tragic novel Ethan Frome, the need for affection causes
Ethan Frome to gradually shed his taciturnity and bring his emotions to life.
Early in the novel, Ethan's passiveness and lack of self-confidence, allow his
wife Zeena to emasculate him, as well as make him emotionally inarticulate
toward Mattie. Once Mattie Silvers enters Ethan's life, she awakens in Ethan the
bitterness of his youth's lost opportunities, and a dissatisfaction with his
joyless life and empty marriage. Gradually, Ethan strengthens and gathers the
courage to defy Zeena and confess his love for Mattie. At the start of his
journey, Ethan surrenders himself to the forces of isolation, silence, and his
depleted life. Soon his desire for love, in a situation where only abject
coldness exists, transforms him into an emotional and confident man. Because of
his emotional weakness, Ethan loses opportunities to reveal his passion to
Mattie and also acquiesces to his wife's demands, while shunning out his own
needs. After suffering so long with the sickly Zeena, Ethan fears unveiling his
passionate feelings to Mattie, for he is bound as a husband and tradition to
Zeena. Years earlier as a younger and more hale man, Ethan felt trapped in his
hometown Starkfield. Mistakenly, he marries Zeena, a gaunt, sallow nagging hag,
as compensation for her nursing Ethan's sick mother. Ethan and his morose,
invalid wife Zeena live in a trapped, unspoken resentment on Ethan's isolated
and failing farm. Driven by a perverted need for attention, Zeena claims to have
numerous ailments and employs her destitute cousin to help with the chores. Over
the course of the years, Ethan, lonely and miserable, finds himself falling in
love with Mattie, drawn to her youthful, animated energy. As he walks through
town one night, he stops by the church to watch Mattie dance. As he marvels at
the young girl's beauty he thinks, "But hitherto the emotion had remained
in him as silent ache, veiling with sadness the beauty that evoked it. He did
not even know whether any one else in the world felt as he did, or whether any
one else in the world felt as he did, or whether he was the sole victim of this
mournful privilege"(17). Ethan lives in his own world of silence, where he
replaces his scarcity of words with imaginations and fantasies. For years Ethan
and his wife live in silence and seclusion. Ultimately, the total lack of
communication between the silent couple significantly contributes to their
miserable marriage as well as Ethan's inability to act out his emotions. Ethan,
accustomed to his silent relationship with his wife, flutters when he meets
Mattie and loses complete faith in himself. Fear and doubt overwhelms because
love is a new concept to him; a journey he scarcely ventures. Every time Ethan
tries to converse with his wife, all he ever hears are her complaints and
demands. Thus, he would rather not communicate with her at all. Also, since
Zeena looks down on Ethan, he feels that he also must not be worthy enough for
Mattie. He believes Zeena's criticisms and they taunt him when he attempts to
court Mattie. Ethan further displays uncertainty and shyness by restraining
himself from kissing Mattie. The morning after Ethan escorted Mattie home,
Ethan's thoughts turn back to last night. As the memory of Mattie's warm
shoulder comes back to him, he regrets his failure to kiss her when he had the
chance. Ethan, frustrated, asks himself, "Why had he not kissed her when he
held her there? . . . a few minutes earlier, when they had stood alone outside
the house, he would not have dared to think of kissing her" (29). As a
cold, isolated, and grim figure, Zeena embodies her surrounding. She creates a
loveless, desolate home for Ethan where he never learns to express his love and
affection. When the moment to manifest his passion to Mattie in the form of the
kiss arrives, he becomes nervous, and shies out like a scared lamb. Even more,
Ethan lacks the confidence and courage to stand up for himself against Zeena,
who manipulates Ethan and uses her frail health to justify her bitter
personality. When Zeena returns from her visit to the doctor, Ethan cautiously
greets her as she sits in the darkened bedroom. She coldly informs him that her
illness is worse than he thinks and even blames him for her illnesses. Although,
since Mattie's arrival, Zeena does very little housework, such a recommendation
is most welcome because it provides her with an excuse to get rid of Mattie, of
whom she has become increasingly jealous. Ethan calmly endures her harsh
accusations, and helplessly replies, "But you know it. I'm sorry, but it
can't be helped. You're a poor man's wife, Zeena; but I'll do the best I can for
you" (57). Overcome by his enormous sense of responsibility for others,
Ethan never tries to pursuit his own pleasures. A life without pleasure
characterizes Ethan's painful silence and despair. The monotonous routine of
life's daily responsibilities and self–doubt hold Ethan captive to his farm
and frigid marriage. Ethan feels guilty that he fancies Mattie, and as a result,
he feels it is his duty to submit to Zeena's wishes, even though they are
against his. He fails to realize that his failing marriage is not his fault, but
because Ethan feels responsibility for everything, Ethan senses he has no right
to defy Zeena. In summation, Miraculously, Mattie, like a veritable angel, sheds
light onto Ethan's miserable life and shows him his weakness as he permits Zeena
to control his emotions. At this point, Ethan begins to see Zeena as the root of
his unhappiness and inexpressiveness. Zeena announces to Ethan the doctor's
recommendation for surgery. After hearing the news, Ethan is suddenly tossed
between waves of jubilation and pity. Zeena wants his sympathy, and as usual,
Ethan right about gives Zeena the vicarious emotion she lusts, but suddenly,
Ethan notices Zeena's hardness and callousness like never before–an antipathy
of Mattie. Angered and dismayed, he stops himself and ponders at his discovery:
"Wrath and dismay contended in Ethan. He had foreseen an immediate demand
for money, but not a permanent drain on his scant resources. He had no longer
believed what Zeena had told him of the supposed seriousness of her state: he
saw in her expedition to Bettsbridge only a plot hatched between herself and her
Pierce relations to foist on him the cost of a servant; and for the moment wrath
predominated"(56). Now, Ethan begins to see what he failed to see before:
Zeena removes herself from society and uses her feigned illness to control him.
By being a semi-invalid, she can tell Ethan what to do. He decides that he no
longer wants Zeena's harshness and pretended ill-health beating him down. Ethan
reveals to be still unsure and fears speaking his mind. However, the mere
acknowledgment of Zeena's true nature reveals a transfiguration in thought, soon
to be put in action. Ethan no longer blames his bleak, depressing marriage on
himself. In fact, Ethan preoccupies more about the treatment, which will cost
him money, than about the diagnosis, exposing the degree to which he despises
Zeena. After realizing with Mattie what true love is, Ethan begins to reflect on
his own bereft marriage. Clearly, Zeena manipulates him like a toy and does not
give him the love and care that a wife should. Their marriage resembles a one
way street, where only Ethan works to appease Zeena. Afterward, Ethan tries to
build the courage to speak his mind to Zeena, as he becomes conscious of her
malicious intent to send away his life's last joy. Ethan explains to Zeena that
he cannot afford another hired hand, but he pledges to do much of the work
himself along with Mattie. Zeena wickedly laughs at Ethan's face out loud and
successfully deals him another blow below the belt. She signals her triumph over
Ethan. Astonished, Ethan sweeps to Mattie's defense and vehemently cries,
"You can't put her out of the house like a thief—a poor girl without
friends or money. She's done her best for you and she's your kin but everybody
else'll remember it. If you do a thing like that what do you supposed folk'll
say of you" (58). Early in the novel, Zeena has the knack of making Ethan
feels guilty about almost everything he does and thinks, especially after Mattie
arrives. A certain look gives him an eerie feeling that Zeena can read his
thoughts and he cannot bear to have his relationship with Mattie exposed. Now,
Ethan sees through Zeena's cold, conniving scheme and realizes that he might
lose the one joy in his life for ever. He forces himself to speak up, even if it
gives away his secret. Still yet, Ethan fears to fully admit to his misery in
front of Zeena. Even more important, he fails to tell Zeena his true feelings,
not only about his life and marriage, but about Mattie. In fact, he pretends to
worry about Zeena's reputation in order to conceal his defense of Mattie. In
short, Ethan does not fully let go of his fear and submissiveness, but his very
attempt signals development. Suddenly and unpredictably, Ethan comes to his
senses and recognizes how Zeena oppresses him. Ethan knows that when Zeena makes
her up her mind–it's final. Hence, he dwells on how arid life might be if he
loses Mattie. Wharton reveals the depth of Ethan's reaction with great passion
and intensity: Ethan looked at her loathing. She was no longer the listless
creature who had lived at his side in a state of sullen self-absorption, but a
mysterious alien presence, and evil energy secreted from the long years of
silent brooding. It was the sense of his helplessness that sharpened his
antipathy. There had never been anything that one could appeal to . . . Now she
had mastered him and he abhorred her . . . For a moment such a flame of hate
rose in him that it ran down his arm and clenched his fist against her. He took
a wild step forward and then stopped. (59) Violence wells inside of the once
emotionally stiff Ethan. He finally assures himself of Zeena's true character:
an evil, brooding woman who robs him of a happy life. He blames Zeena for
ruining his life and holding him captive. He never tasted happiness until he
meets Mattie. Now, Zeena intends to deprive him of the one thing that makes up
for every hardship he has suffered in the past seven wretched years. 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. Zeena's
strong dominating personality emasculates Ethan, while Mattie's feminine,
effervescent youth makes Ethan feel like a "real man." In brief,
Ethan's gradual realizations of his unhappy marriage to Zeena and happiness in
the company of Mattie, precipitate his desire to build confidence. Contrary to
his characteristic passiveness, Ethan now defies Zeena and expresses his
affection for Mattie. After Ethan and Zeena finish fighting, Ethan comes
downstairs where Mattie serves him his dinner, but he cannot eat. He rises from
his chair and walks around the table to her side. Frightened, Mattie questions
Ethan's terrified facial expression. In answer, Ethan presses his lips against
hers and weeps, "You can't go, Matt! I won't let you! She's [Zeena's]
always had her way, but I mean to have mine now––" (61). Before, Ethan
could only flash rapport and speak of his feelings bashfully. Now, Ethan
emboldens and makes his first amorous advance to Mattie. Only now does the
mutual passion between Ethan and Mattie ceased to be incommunicative. Ethan's
desperate cry and confession demonstrate all that Zeena had suppressed. Now, he
is free from his cage, and he has the courage and confidence to speak his
thoughts. For Ethan, Mattie radiates energy into his life. 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,
monotonous life. Ethan further displays his newfound valiancy when he stands up
to Zeena and gives priority to his feelings over hers. Each minute pushes Mattie
and Ethan closer to the moment neither can face. Ethan hoists Mattie's trunk
onto the sleigh. He tries to put off the time when he must say good-bye by
deciding that he–not Jotham Owell–will drive Mattie to the train station.
Zeena, alarmed, demands Ethan to stay and let Jotham drive Mattie. Ethan,
determined and no longer intimidated by Zeena, repeats, "I'm going to drive
her myself"(73). Zeena insists that Ethan should stay and fix the stove for
the new servant. However, Ethan raises his voice and indignantly flings back,
"If it was good enough for Mattie I guess it's good enough for a hired
girl" (73). Ethan no longer cares about what Zeena thinks or feels; nor
does not bother him that Zeena is aware of his feelings for Mattie. He openly
and clearly importunes that he will drive Mattie. Now, Ethan's words are final
rather than Zeena's. Ethan, determined to do what he wants, no longer allows
Zeena and her illnesses to control him. He sees through her mask now and seeks
to control his own destiny. Later that night, Ethan finally moves his
relationship with Mattie to a new stage and speaks to her candidly about his
feelings. On the way to the train station, they stop by Shadow Pond, the place
where they once picnicked together. Seeing the place again warms Ethan's heart
and he whispers into Mattie's ear: "I want to put my hand out and touch
you. I want to do for you and care for you. I want to be there when you're sick
and when you're lonesome" (78). Although he must face the reality that his
fantasy cannot come true, Ethan spills his heart out to Mattie, like a free man
wooing a girl he wishes to marry. Despite his loving feelings at the start of
the novel, Ethan never told Mattie how much he loves her because he never
learned how to express love. Now, he can share the depths of his feelings and
declare his love openly. For once, Ethan sings his passion without the restraint
of guilt or fear. In short, trapped in a loveless marriage to an uncongenial
spouse, Ethan achieves his sweetheart by sloughing off his shyness and building
the strength to communicate his feelings. On the whole, does Ethan Frome ever
set himself free from the weakness that traps him in a hopelessly burdened and
branded life? Contrary to popular belief, solitude and the human need for
passion cause Ethan Frome, the title character of Edith Wharton's tragic novel,
Ethan Frome, to cast off his shy, feeble nature and embolden into an emotional
man. At first, Ethan exhibits self-doubt and fears emotional expression. Upon
Mattie's arrival, Ethan realizes the burdens of his depleted life. In the end,
his thirst for Mattie's love encourages him to blossom into a free, strong,
passionate man. For Ethan Frome, life cannot be a loveless and tragic trap. At
least he hopes so as struggles and succeeds to free himself from his passivity
throughout the novel.