ETHAN FROME by Edith Wharton CAPOCASALE CHIARA 5N
“ETHAN FROME” by Edith Wharton CAPOCASALE CHIARA 5°N LSU 2018 -2019
WHO WAS EDITH WHARTON? BORN January, 1862 (NY) DEATH August, 1937 (France) Edith was an American novelist and short story writer She made her debut in society in 1879 and married Edward Wharton, a wealthy Boston banker
EDITH’S ENVIROMENT She came from a distinguished and long-established New York family: the Newbold Jones ARISTOCRACY She was educated by private tutors and governesses at home where she read voraciously
ENVIROMENT’S INFLUENCE IN EDITH’S TEXTS She used as resource her knowledge of the upper class to realistically portray the values of the American 19 th century Edith Wharton also observed the social changes happening around her, which would appear later in her writing for example VALUES -Puritanism (religious education, modesty, attending church ) -Importance of reputation -Traditional family
HOW 19 TH CENTURY’S VALUES ARE PRESENT IN THE NOVEL? -Puritanism (religious education, modesty, attending church ) -Importance of reputation -Traditional family Edith break the value of “traditional family” but at the same time keep this theme Ethan is often stuck in situations that don’t permit him to take a decision in order to what he really wants, so he follows society’s frame of mind Frome’s habits are typical of puritanism
EDITH’S ATTENTION FOR DETAILS Edith in the novel uses symbols in order to represent abstract ideas or concepts Symbols are actually details and describtions with a specific function Colour red(passion, sin, trasgression) In the oppressive setting of Starkfield Mattie’s red scarf and ribbon stands out Setting’s sadness The weather in Starkfield is always described as cold, dark, oppressive, gloomy but at the same time it’s white, the color of purity Zenobia’s cat and pickle dish The cat is a symbol of Zeena’s invisible presence in the house and the breaking of the Zeena’s favourite dish symbolizes the disintegration of Frome’s marriage
NARRATORS First person narrator prologue and epilogue ✓ : the narrator is omniscent but appears to know nothing, so the story itself is a journey, moreover give the story a sense of realism ✗ : it limits the reader to only narrator’s point of view Third person narrator from first to ninth chapter ✓ : the relationship and emotional involvment beween the reader and the protagonist is encouraged ✗ : the reader only sees the story through the story of Ethan’s character, so the reader only know partly the whole story
NARRATOR’S EXAMPLES “I had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and, as generally happens in such cases, each time it was a different story. ” 1 st person narrator (JOURNEY TOGETHER WITH THE READER) “Mrs. Hale answered simply: “There was nowhere else for her to go; ” and my heart tightened at the thought of the hard compulsions of the poor. ” 1 st person narrator (NARRATOR’S POINT OF VIEW) “Frome’s heart was beating fast. He had been straining for a glimpse of the dark head under the cherry-coloured scarf and it vexed him that another eye should have been quicker than his. ” 3 rd person narrator (READER’S INVOLVMENT WITH ETHAN’S FEELINGS)
LOVE’S THEME LOVE TRIANGLE MATTIE ETHAN ZEENA ALTRUISTIC LOVE Ethan’s love for his family bring him to take the decision to renounce to his education and liberty on the contrary OPPORTUNISTIC LOVE Zeena and Ethan married each other in order to not be alone It particularly moved me beacuse Ethan and Mattie were really scared to rest alone in their life, so this is NOT an authentic love fear of loneliness
WHO IS ACTUALLY THE VICTIM? ZENOBIA Actually the victim of the novel is Zeena, fooled by both her husband her cousin The only way to draw reader’s attention is acting like a ill one or a nurse In my opinion if everyone was in Zeena’s shoes would have act with the same vindctive and mean behaviours The reader sympatizes much more with Ethan beacuse of the narration’s point of view, but surely Zeena suffer for their situation Maybe the reader can consider Ethan a victim too. . .
- Slides: 10