Free Essays on Whartons Ethan Frome: Weakness of Character :: Ethan Frome Essays

Ethan Frome  Weakness of Character     Ethan Frome, the main acknowledgment in the intensity entitled Ethan Frome, by Edith Wharton, has many complex problems going on at the same time. His family has died and he has a wife that is continually sick, and the only form of gladness he has is from his wifes cousin Mattie. This, however, at times proves to be hard because of Ethans wifes interference. Nothing seems to be going in Ethans favor. One theme of the book is weakness of character this is shown by Ethans marraige, his inability to stand up to his wife, and his involvement concerning the accident. The first way weakness of charcter is shown in the book is through the marriage of Ethan and his wife. He get hitched with her because she had tried to help his mother recover from an illness, and once his mother died he could not bear the thought of living in the house alone. His wife was heptad years his senior and always seemed to be possessed of some kind of il lness. It seemed all she ever did was complain, and he resented this because it stifled his growing soul. Since his wife was continuously ill, and her cousin inevitable a place to stay, they took her in to help around the house. Ethan took an immediate propensity to her cousin, Mattie, because she brought a bright light upon his dismal day. He seemed to have found individual that cared for him, was always happy and could share his youth, unlike his sickly wife who always nagged him. He longed to be with Mattie, however he had loyalty to his wife. He did not have the courage to stand up to society and resolve the error that he commited by marrying his first wife. The second example of weakness of character was not be able to stand up to his wife. His wife claimed that a new doctor said that she was extremely sick, and needed more help around the house. She told him without any countersign that Mattie had to go. Ethan could not find the words to make her alter her decision. His w ife also decided that Mattie had to leave the next day itself and Ethan could not do anything about it. It was give tongue to in the book that his wife had the upper hand in the house by the line Now she his wife had mastered him Ethan and he obeyed her.