Answer:
r u talking about the quote on page 70 talking about Ethan and his wife "endurance" and how they lived for 50 years together in peace? if so it is ironic because the the narrator refers to Zeena as "endurance" meaning they didn't live a loveing and passionate life they just endured and its ironic because she endured even though Ethan wants her to go away or "die" so he can live his life out with mattie but this is a fantasy and not reality. Ethans views on Zeena are not adoring they are full of malice he did mean to marry zeena he just didn't want to be lonely and turn into his mother "crazy" and then die. So out of desperation he married her and it didn't plan out so well so even though he wishes zeena dead she still "endures" and continues to run his life until she has mastered him and he abhors her for that. Zeena= life stuck in starkfield with nothing to look up to, depressing. Mattie= uplifting life, everything he want but can't have!