Ethan Frome: Chapter 7 Summary & Analysis

Ethan calls Zeena's name, but when she does not answer he goes up to their room. Zeena, sitting bolt upright by the window in her traveling clothes, reveals that the doctor has told her she has "complications." Ethan is torn between wishing she would die and feeling compassion for her. Zeena implies that she has kidney trouble and that she ought to have an operation, but that she will settle for a hired girl on doctor's orders. Before Ethan can reply she declares that Aunt Martha has already found her one, and that the girl will arrive the following afternoon.

When Ethan objects angrily to the cost, Zeena shouts back at him that she would have been ashamed to tell the doctor that Ethan refused her the money when the fact was she had lost her health nursing Ethan's mother. She says her relatives all told her that Ethan couldn't do less than marry her after that.

Struggling with rage and disgust, Ethan tells Zeena that he lacks the money to pay for a hired girl and that he will do the housework himself. Zeena reminds him that he is neglecting the farm already and taunts him with the suggestion that he send her to the almshouse (poorhouse). She asks him about the fifty dollars he was supposed to have gotten from Andrew Hale and without thinking he confesses that he doesn't have it, since Hale always takes at least three months to pay. This is the first time Ethan has been caught in a lie.

Ethan humbly apologizes to Zeena for being a poor man and says he will do the best he can for her. She replies that they will manage since they won't have to pay for Mattie's board any longer. Ethan is confused, but Zeena shrilly insists that Mattie is a burden and that now it's someone else's turn to take her in.

Mattie's voice sounds from the landing, calling Ethan and Zeena to supper. Zeena says she's not coming down and Ethan calls out that he will be there in a minute. Ethan tries to shame Zeena into agreeing to keep Mattie on, but Zeena replies that people are gossiping about him and Mattie, and that she should have let Mattie go long before.

Realizing that he has been "mastered" by Zeena, Ethan looks at his wife with loathing. His helplessness makes him hate her, and he feels that she is the cause of all of his failures. For a moment he clenches his fist, then retreats to the kitchen.

At the supper table Mattie looks at Ethan happily, oblivious to what has just occurred. Ethan is so upset that he can't eat and Mattie realizes something is wrong. He takes her in his arms and they kiss passionately. He says he can't and won't let her go. Mattie is bewildered, and Ethan is forced to tell her that the doctor has ordered Zeena to get a hired girl, which Mattie realizes would force her to leave.

Mattie tries to console Ethan but she knows her prospects of getting work are poor. Ethan remembers stories he has heard about girls like Mattie who look for work in cities like Worcester and Stamford.

Ethan says he won't let her leave, and that he will stand up to Zeena. At that moment Zeena comes down from the bedroom and sits at the table. Zeena says she is feeling better and starts eating, while Ethan sits speechless and Mattie tries to act as if everything is normal. After eating, though, Zeena complains of heartburn and goes to get some stomach powder.

When Zeena returns, she is furious and carrying the broken pickle-dish. Ethan tells her the cat knocked it over, to which Zeena replies that a cat couldn't set the pieces neatly back on the shelf. Mattie then confesses that she took down the pickle-dish to make the dinner table pretty. Zeena accuses Mattie of taking from her the thing she cared for most of all. She says she always knew Mattie was a bad girl, and adds that she should have thrown Mattie out long ago.