Ethan Frome Compare And Contrast

In spite of all the differences, there are key situations in which the characters experienced and fundamental themes that Wharton exploited to link the two novels. In all relationships, there are complexities. Both novels emphasize this concept. Her life is the epitome of the obstacles, especially the ones that a woman of her time had to overcome to find self-realization. In her autobiography, A Backward Glance, Edith Wharton shared from her personal experience that “the real marriage of true minds is for any two people to possess a sense of humor or irony pitched in exactly the same key, so that their joint glances on any subject cross like interarching searchlights” (Goodreads). With this in mind, Wharton presents picture perfect marriages

Newland, a lawyer and Ethan dreams to become an engineer. Neither men’s marriages are out of love and sincere affection for their significant other. Ethan’s marriage was out of convenience after Zeena had taken care of his mother before she died. Although he feared to be alone, he also felt obliged to be with her. In like manner, Newland searched for a perfect wife who would be acceptable for his social class. In the initial stage, he expressed admiration for May for there was nothing that, “pleased him more than her resolute to carry to its utmost limit that ritual of ignoring the ‘unpleasant’ in which they had both been brought up” (Wharton, 22). Trained to live and follow the rules of the civilized society and May becomes the embodiment of its idiosyncrasies. Thwarted by his duty to his family, Ethan’s personal fulfillment became futile. This leads to a sense of imprisonment due to incompatible

It forces people to step away from their fate and to go beyond their means to abide by these codes to be socially accepted. Edith Wharton reveals the oppressiveness of society and its effects in relationships through her works. The upper-class society creates an image of perfection to ostracize the mortals. Wharton breaks down the walls of falsehood to emphasize the hypocrisy of that group of people. Ellen, a mortal in this society, expresses her frustration that “the real loneliness is living among all these kind people who only ask one to pretend” (Wharton, The Age of Innocence 65). Her inability to conform reveals that the unwritten rules of society lead to unhappiness due to the restrictions of pursuing one’s passion in order to preserve one’s reputation. An example of this can be found in Chapter 5 of Ethan Frome, where they were alone without Zeena’s presence and were unable to speak with each other because they felt like they were being judged by Zeena and society. Ethan reminisced about the night “when he had put his arm about Mattie [and], she had not resisted. But that had been out-of-doors, under the open irresponsible night. Now, in the warm lamplit room, with all its ancient implications of conformity and order, she seemed infinitely farther away… and more unapproachable” (Wharton, Ethan Frome 39). This passage is symbolic