Ethan Frome

Name: Ethan Frome
Author: Edith Wharton

By Edith Wharton

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American Literature Novels

About This Book

The narrator, wintering in a small New England village, becomes acquainted with a tall, ruined farmer and pieces together his tragic history. Years earlier the farmer suffered a disabling accident and thereafter remained bound by duties to family and an exacting, hypochondriacal wife. When the wife's young cousin comes to keep house, the farmer and cousin form a quiet, forbidden attachment that promises escape from their constrained lives. A desperate plan to run away culminates in a deliberate sled crash intended to kill them but results in physical catastrophes that cripple both and leave the wife firmly in control. The narrative examines entrapment, thwarted desire, and how a harsh landscape shapes human fate.

About the Author

Edith Wharton

Edith Wharton (1862-1937) was an American novelist, short story writer, and designer, known for her keen observations of the American upper class and her exploration of social mores. Her most celebrated work, "The Age of Innocence," won the Pulitzer Prize in 1921 and reflects her critical perspective on the constraints of society. Wharton's literary contributions extend to various genres, including novels, poetry, and travel writing, with notable titles such as "Ethan Frome" and "A Motor-Flight Through France." Throughout her career, she adeptly navigated themes of love, betrayal, and the complexities of human relationships, establishing her as a significant figure in American literature.