Ethan Frome

Summary

'Ethan Frome' is a 1911 book by Edith Wharton, set in the fictitious town of Starkfield, Massachusetts. In this haunting tale, Wharton’s characters are not of the upper class, but ordinary townsfolk. The prologue opens with an unnamed male narrator who’s spending a winter in Starkfield while on business, describing a limping man with a compelling demeanor. The narrative is characterized by frequent flashbacks, and mainly involves Ethan’s sickly wife, Zeena, and Mattie, a cousin who helps to care for her. When Ethan and Mattie fall in love, Zeena insists that Mattie be sent away. In the final chapter, the prologue’s narrator returns, revealing a shocking role reversal that had occurred twenty years before.