Ethan Frome Characters
Every major character in Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton, with a portrait, who they are and the chapters they appear in.
Ethan FromeProtagonist · 10 chaptersA taciturn, burdened Starkfield farmer trapped in a loveless marriage and drawn to the warmth and hope Mattie brings.
Mattie SilverMajor character · 9 chaptersZeena's young cousin who brings warmth and companionship to the Frome household, and whose presence catalyzes Ethan's longing.
Zeena FromeAntagonist · 9 chaptersZeena Frome: Ethan’s sickly, exacting wife whose clinical ailments and cold decisions constrain his life and desires.
Andrew HaleMinor character · 6 chaptersA genial Starkfield contractor and neighbor who refuses Ethan a loan and exemplifies townly limits and decency.
Denis EadyMinor character · 6 chaptersLively, well-dressed son of Starkfield’s prosperous shopkeeper, a jaunty rival who flirts openly with Mattie and needles Ethan.
Jotham PowellMinor character · 6 chaptersEthan’s quiet, dependable hired man who does chores, drives Zeena, and whose comings and goings affect the household’s tensions.- MMichael EadyMinor character · 4 chaptersa member of the Eady family, glimpsed among the villagers at the Starkfield dance and part of the social circle around Mattie.
Mrs. Andrew HaleMinor character · 4 chaptersWarm, tactful Starkfield neighbor and Andrew Hale’s wife who offers sympathetic practical kindness toward Ethan and his household.
Ruth VarnumMinor character · 4 chaptersA courteous Starkfield local (Mrs. Ned Hale) who shelters the Narrator and knows the town’s stories but speaks little.
The NarratorNarrator · 4 chaptersA visiting engineer in Starkfield whose curiosity and quiet questioning uncover Ethan Frome's tragic past.
Harmon GowMinor character · 2 chaptersA retired Starkfield stage-driver whose plainspoken gossip and directions give the Narrator his first clues about Ethan and the town.
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