Ethan Frome question

I also think the author showed how you can settle for someone when you're young,marry that person, only to find someone you passionately love later. I actually felt sorry for all of them.

I didn't see that at all. To me Ethan used Zeena and then ignored her without any regards to her feelings. I too would have become a cranky hypochondriac under the circumstances; as many would have. I am not saying that Zeena is without blame in the marriage but I think Ethan initiated it or is as much to blame.

I felt sorry for Zeena. She knew her husband didn't love her. How do you live with that?

I think the author only wanted you to hate her at first to make the sudden realization in the end that any of us could be Zeena more affective. Mattie and Zeena are very similar women who time and circumstances have shaped. They are no different from one another just at different stages, one in the middle of youth and folly one hardened and embittered.

Overall, I think Wharton tried to make Zeena seem like a witch of a woman, but, in reality, her husband was going to leave her. I would probably be hostile, too. Also, I would most definitely not want the woman my husband is actually in love with living in my own house!

@Spw, exactly! Ethan is completely jealous of Denis to the extent of wanting to give him a horsewhipping. Then he turns around angry at Zeena for having the same emotion. To me Ethan comes across as either stupid or mean.
@Jamie, probably ninety percent of women would emasculate Ethan's effeminate @$$!

When Zeena was young she was happy, but she never lived the life she wanted to. People are very different before the world gets through to them, and life was not kind to Zeena. She married someone she didn't really love and she didn't get to do the things she wanted to. I think that her resentment of Frome is not right, but you cannot help but wonder if life had been better to her who she would have been.

I feel sorry for Zeena as well, to some extent. While she does misuse Ethan terribly, it is pitiful to think that anyone would willingly reduce themselves to the state of an invalid hypochiondriac.

I disapproved of Zeena because she sees that Ethan and Matt are in love and will not let them go, even though she knows she is dying. She will do anything to keep them apart, and even goes to measures that end up making them both want to commit suicide. Therefore, I cannot sympathize with her.

@Aim. But she is not dying....he's rather killing her. Can you imagine the torture of watch the one you love, love someone else every waking moment of your life? While I do think Zeena should have walked away I still have a lot more understanding towards her actions than Ethan's and Mattie's. It wasn't Zeena that forced them to commit suicide thats their own impatience. Ethan doesn't have the heart to abandon Zeena but he will put the burden of his death on her shoulders; who will provide for her then? I believe Ethan chose suicide over divorce because while they both have a social stigma the one of suicide won't reach his ears. He's cowardly like that. Its like that song The Chain, Ethan doesn't love her nor will he ever break the chain.
@Tpk. I always thought it was Ethan who completely misused Zeena. He used her until he found a younger replacement without ever considering her feelings.

I can't help myself so I must also add this. Jothem and Mattie seem to get the worst of Zeena's anger. She never shows Ethan any anger, when he is the cause of it, because there argument is said to be the first scene of open anger between the two. After that please don't tell me she misused Ethan. Zeena seems to be a very strong woman with Ethan being her Achilles' Heel.

When I read the book years ago I felt little to no sympathy for Zeena. Now I can feel her pain more, because now I am married. The story affected me deeply in my twenties, somehow. Now it is more real to me. I'd like to re-read this book.

@Jennie
I absolutely hate this book and Wharton's childish antagonising of one character and glorification of another under the same circumstances, i.e. the locked door scenes and crying over the dish episode. Zeena was criticised while Mattie was justified for the same action. Ethan is the most self centred protagonist I've ever come across. I would have felt more sympathy for him had he once felt guilty about the way he treated his wife.

I thought we were supposed to dislike her because she was a hypochondriac. I did not sympathize with her, and felt the aversion to her that I think was intended.