Ethan Frome | Essays and Criticism

  • The narrative and moral ambiguity in Ethan Frome

    Jeffrey M. Lilburn, M.A (The University of Western Ontario) is the author of a study guide on Margaret Atwood's The Edible Woman and of numerous educational essays. In the following essay, he discusses the narrative and moral ambiguity in Ethan Frome.

  • "Edith Wharton's Ethan Frome and the Question of Meaning"

    Addressing the opposing viewpoints of fellow critics, Ammons gives evidence supporting Ethan Frome as a modern but inverted fairy tale of substance, moral content, and theme.

  • "Imagery and Symbolism in Ethan Frome"

    In the following excerpt, Bernard cites Wharton's substantial use of imagery and symbolism in Ethan Frome as a successful method to establish depth in a tale inhabited by reticent and inarticulate characters.