Ethan Frome is a poor farmer living in the small town of Starkfield, Massachusetts. He is married to Zeena, a cold and bitter woman who is always sick. Zeena hires a young woman named Mattie Silver to help around the house.Ethan and Mattie quickly fall in love, but they can never be together because Zeena would never divorce Ethan and Mattie is too poor to support herself. One winter, Zeena goes away to stay with her relatives and Ethan and Mattie finally have a chance to be together.However, their happiness is short-lived. Zeena comes home early and catches them together. She makes Mattie leave and she never comes back. Ethan is left alone with his unhappy wife.Many years later, Ethan is still living in Starkfield with Zeena. He has never been able to forget Mattie and he still loves her. He has never been able to move on with his life.