Ethan Frome, Tragic Hero Essay Example

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. (Wharton 107) Ethan disregards his wife’s medical condition, and lacks the judgment to avoid the impending argument with Zeena over Mattie.At this point the reader is aware that Zeena is very suspicious of Mattie and Ethan’s interactions.

Ethan’s poor judgment boils down to his longing for Mattie. Ethan is a married man, and despite the fact that he is unhappy he cannot leave Zeena. The novel is set in a time period where adultery is looked down upon even more so than today. To even think about kissing Mattie shows extreme poor judgment on Ethan’s behalf.

“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” (Wharton 84).Thinking romantic thoughts about Mattie begins the downfall of Ethan Frome. Correct judgment would be for Ethan to never let those thoughts manifest in his mind. The reader can reason that Ethan’s poor judgment is taking over his more sensible side. His judgments ultimately lead him to act in a negative fashion.

At the end of the novel, Ethan’s poor judgment wins his moral battles. Mattie and Ethan confess their true love for each other, and Ethan’s tragic downfall occurs. Perhaps his greatest misjudgment of the novel, Ethan attempts suicide so he is never separated from Mattie.The attempt fails and the readers are left with an emotionally hollow Ethan Frome: Well, I say it's

a pity she did .

. . if [Mattie] ha' died, Ethan might ha' lived; and the way they are now, I don't see's there's much difference between the Fromes up at the farm and the Fromes down in the graveyard… (Wharton 163) Mrs. Hale alludes to the observation that Ethan has become a walking dead man. His heart has been broken twice, and now he is just a shell of a man.

This is Ethan’s tragic downfall due to poor judgment. He must live out the remainder of his life poor and in shambles.He must take care of the two women who drove him to the very point of suicide. Ethan Frome’s complete lack of sensible judgment leads him to his ultimate downfall by the end of the novel. His parents’ illnesses trapped Ethan in the mediocre town of Starkfield.

He greatly resents his own wife, and falls in love with the youthful girl who helps out around the house. Ethan lets his poor judgment take over his mind as he tries to win over Mattie Silver’s love. This forbidden love and his lack of judgment lead to the tragic downfall of Ethan Frome.