Ethan Frome - Atypical Gothic

A detailed Summary of Ethan Frome - Atypical Gothic

"It was almost as if the other face, the face of the superseded woman, had obliterated that of the intruder." Here, Ethan is horrified while seeing Zeena's face in her rocking chair instead of Mattie's. Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton is a book of love, hate, and tragedy but more so, it is a novel that is very similar to the Gothic Style of writing. In essence, a "gothic novel" is a type of fiction that includes mysterious and supernatural events that is intended to frighten or terrify the reader. As you may assume, Ethan Frome does not fit this interpretation totally, but it does have certain aspects that are definably gothic in style. The novel did not take place in a gloomy medieval castle, but its setting is in a dismal and barren town during the desolate wintertime. No fearful characters or frightening scenes will be found in this novel, however it does contain eerie images, torpid townspeople, and ghostly ironies. Two principal scenes demonstrate the supernatural presence of Zeena on Ethan's mind; while Zeena is away at Bettesbridge, and during the suicide trip down Corbury Hill. In addition, there are three objects that play a key role in the gothic feel of the novel: the menacing elm tree, the dreary wintertime, and t

The last aspect of the gloominess and cheerlessness of Starkfield is the family cemetery located next to Ethan's house. The dead and cemeteries are often associated with gothic novels as well as the desolate and depressing feeling they bring to those around them. On the way home one night, Ethan glances at the cemetery and notices the headstone of an ancestor also named Ethan Frome, buried with his wife, Endurance. The inscription says that the pair had lived together "in peace" for fifty years. This eerie inscription foreshadows the amount of time he will have to endure with Zeena while he and Mattie are crippled. Mrs. Hale says it best at the end of the novel when she illustrates the lack of difference "between the Fromes up at the farm and the Fromes down in the graveyard." This is another reference to the extreme depression of the Fromes, and the almost comatose state they live through each day.

A second instance where Zeena has appeared on Ethan's mind during a crucial time in the book was the fateful sled ride down Corbury Hill into the big elm tree. On the second run, the suicide run, Ethan notices Zeena's face in the tree that they eventually crash into. This causes Ethan to lose concentration for a split-second and veer off to one side of the tree. The couple did not "fetch" the tree and that image of Zeena's face caused them to fail the suicide attempt. The survival of the two may seem lucky for most but in actuality, it turns out to be a barrier between Ethan and the tranquillity has been looking forward to his entire life. In addition, this accident severely injures the couple. To Zeena, this event can now repay them for the p

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1120
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English