Ethan Frome

by Edith Wharton

Ethan Frome: Dramatic Irony 1 key example

Definition of Dramatic Irony

Dramatic irony is a plot device often used in theater, literature, film, and television to highlight the difference between a character's understanding of a given situation, and that of the... read full definition
Dramatic irony is a plot device often used in theater, literature, film, and television to highlight the difference between a character's understanding of a given... read full definition
Dramatic irony is a plot device often used in theater, literature, film, and television to highlight the difference between a... read full definition
Chapter 2
Explanation and Analysis—The Smash-Up:

Ethan Frome is filled with foreshadowing. Although Wharton never explicitly states that Ethan and Mattie will be involved in a sledding accident, numerous passages in the novel hint at what is to occur.

Wharton's use of a frame story, which takes place more than 20 years after the accident, creates a lingering sense of foreboding and dramatic irony. The reader knows that Ethan will be involved in a "smash-up" and become permanently disabled, but they don't know when or how. Ethan, by contrast, is totally oblivious of the fate that will eventually befall him.

Chapter 5
Explanation and Analysis—The Smash-Up:

Ethan Frome is filled with foreshadowing. Although Wharton never explicitly states that Ethan and Mattie will be involved in a sledding accident, numerous passages in the novel hint at what is to occur.

Wharton's use of a frame story, which takes place more than 20 years after the accident, creates a lingering sense of foreboding and dramatic irony. The reader knows that Ethan will be involved in a "smash-up" and become permanently disabled, but they don't know when or how. Ethan, by contrast, is totally oblivious of the fate that will eventually befall him.

Unlock with LitCharts A+