We read about tragic heroes in many works of literature. One book I have read that involves a tragic hero is in Edith Wharton’s 1922 book, Ethan Frome.  Ethan is consistently victimized as one and I believe he can be considered a tragic hero throughout the book.

Ethan Frome is about a man who is married to Zeena, his cousin who had cured his mother when his mother was ill. However, he has strong feelings for Zeena’s cousin, Mattie Silver who had moved in with them after she needed a place to stay after her parents had thrown her out of their house. He wants to express his feelings for her but can’t seem to for Zeena is consistently interrupting their affairs. In one part of the book, Zeena leaves the house for medical reasons. The book says “  He knew that most young men made nothing at all of giving a pretty girl a kiss, and he remembered that the night before, when he had put his arm about Mattie, she had not resisted. But that had been out-of-doors, under the open irresponsible night. Now, in the warm lamp lit room, with all its ancient implications of conformity and order, she seemed infinitely farther away from him and more unapproachable.”(pg 72) This meant that no matter how much he loved Mattie, he could never have Mattie for he had marital obligations. Guilt would tear him apart for having an affair with Mattie. Another moment where Zeena interrupted the mood was when Ethan went to pick up Mattie from the dance at the church. Zeena ruins when she comes out and says “No; there’s nothing. You might shook off that snow outside.”(pg46) I believe at this moment she is mad that Ethan is not with her more often and wishes he can spend more time with her.

Another situation we see where Ethan is a tragic hero is where Zeena wishes to expel Mattie from the house. The book quotes “All the long misery of his baffled past, of his youth of failure, hardship and vain effort, rose up in his soul in bitterness and seemed to take shape before him in the woman who at every turn had barred his way. She had taken everything else from him; and now she meant to take the one thing that made up for all the others. For a moment such a flame of hate rose in him that it ran down his arm and clenched his fist against her. He took a wild step forward and then stopped.” (pg 89)  This shows that although Ethan was a strong and burly man, he lacked the strength of personality and command in the house. So Zeena had complete control over him. She does this by making him feel guilty that it was his fault that she lost her health by curing his mother. Ethan also tries to get rid of Zeena at times. One instance is when she asks him to drive her to the Flats. He claims “I’d take you myself, only I’ve got to collect the cash for the lumber.” (pg 53) Ethan wishes to spend as much time with Mattie as he can because he doesn’t have enough time when Zeena is in the house. Sometimes he wishes to get away from Zeena that he wishes to leave her. He writes Zeena, I’ve done all I could for you, and I don’t see as it’s been any use. I don’t blame you, nor don’t I blame myself. Maybe… and keep the money” (pg99). He wishes to get rid of her and be with Mattie but realizes the amount of guilt he would feel if he leaves Zeena. Therefore his emotion of guilt traps him in the circle of tragedy.

After seeing how Ethan can not have Mattie as his lover, he decides to commit suicide along with Mattie on a sleigh ride. However their plot fails and has to deal with a bad leg for the rest of his life and two women who completely rely on him. In the end after all the pain and suffering Ethan has gone through throughout the book, Ethan can be put down as a tragic hero in literature.