The Death of Ivan Ilyich was written by Russian author Leo Tolstoy around 1886. The writing of this short novel follows the religious transformation of Tolstoy’s own life. The reader can see a similar religious awakening in the main character, Ivan Ilyich as he dies a slow painful death.
Ivan Ilyich’s life was described as simple. Likewise in his early career he neither excelled nor failed but tended to follow those in charge. He made every effort to adopt their likes and dislikes, never standing out. Ivan performed his duties at work with complete and exacting detail and never allowed distractions into his life. Following law school, Ivan worked as an assistant on special commissions to the governor. After several years he moved to become the examining magistrate. This new position granted him much more power. It was while working at this new position and town that he met his wife.
To this point in his life, Ivan had planned his activities and acquaintances to fit with a pleasurable and respectable life. His chosen bride seemed to compliment his desired lifestyle. However Ivan’s life changed abruptly once his wife become pregnant with the couple’s first of several children. She suddenly became extremely jealous and demanding. Ivan used his work as a getaway and the last remaining sanctuary of freedom that he had left from her overcrowding. As his wife tried to occupy more of his attention, he worked more and more out of the house. From this commitment toward work, Ivan soon gained advancement, first to become the assistant public prosecutor then the public prosecutor in another new town.
Married life for Ivan became even more unbearable. An increase in the cost of living strained the family’s finances. During this same time period, Ivan and his wife saw the death of several of their children. Ivan’s wife blamed him for all their misfortunes. For his part, Ivan simply worked more and stayed away from his home and family.
After years of living above their means, his job became intolerable when Ivan got passed over for several promotions that he thought he was entitled to. He felt underappreciated and wanted an appointment with a new ministry. A change in several high ranking officials placed one of his friends in a position that was fortunate for Ivan. His friend appointed him back to the ministry of justice where he began, along with a salary for which he had been seeking. His life seemed to be back in order.
This new position required a move to another new city. Ivan and his wife were finally happy together. Before his family joined him, he spent months purchasing furniture and decorating the apartment exactly as he had once dreamed of living. He was so passionate about his new home that he did some of the work himself. On one occasion he fell from a ladder and injured his side on a window pull.
Ivan’s work kept him busy, they entertained guests in their new home and their lives finally seemed to be at peace. This tranquility was eventually disrupted as the pain in Ivan’s side worsened instead of healing. The constant soreness made him miserable. What had begun as a slight discomfort increased months later to make the simple act of eating into a painful chore. Along with this pain he began to experience an awful taste in his
mouth.
Ivan consulted doctors about his painful illness and became absorbed in learning about health and wellness. He received numerous cures and advice but nothing seemed to help. Day by day his illness continued to worsen. He felt alone, no one seemed to understand what he was going through. His wife hated him for disrupting their life. His friends disliked being around while he suffered in pain. Even his co-workers treated him
differently.
He receives evaluations from many doctors and specialists with a number of different treatments, none of these cured him. Ivan begins to understand that he is dying, little could he believe that it was actually happening to him. The reality of death invades his every thought, even distracting him from his work.
After three months of painful suffering, Ivan had lost much weight and has trouble even walking. He lay in bed thinking about his illness and his coming death. He hates those around him that offer advice and pretend that his was an illness that he’d soon recover from. He knew he was dying and wanted everyone to stop acting like he wasn’t. He wanted more than anything else to be missed. He wanted someone to care for and worry about him like he were a sick child. He found no pity but from one unexpected man.
Gerasim was a young peasant man whose chore it was, among other things to clean Ivan’s bed pan. Ivan held some embarrassment for not being able to clean up after himself but Gerasim assured him that he didn’t mind helping someone that was ill. He only hoped that if he were ever as sick, someone would be kind enough to help him. Ivan saw the compassion in Gerasim that he was missing. For long hours he would talk with Gerasim while the young man held his legs which seemed to ease Ivan’s pain.
In this time of his most self-pity, Ivan was visited by more doctors. His wife had a specialist examine him, but Ivan only saw more fake performances and lies. He is visited by his wife, two children and his daughter’s fiancé. He now more than ever hates his wife, he can see the disruption he is causing his daughter and the sorrow in his son’s eyes.
In the night he asked Gerasim to leave his bedside. Ivan finally breaks down and begins to cry. He argues to himself about what life and death was even for. He begs to know what the reason for pain and agony was. Ivan decides that, “life is a series of increasing sufferings as it flies further and further towards its end.” He realizes that his life may have been a waste. He’d lost a chance for happiness because he had only focused on
money.
During the final three days of Ivan’s life he lay on the couch and screams. On the last day he sees the pain in his wife’s face and the heartache he has been causing his son. He realizes that they did feel sorry for him. And he likewise felt sorry for them. He knew that he had caused them pain and was sorry. After trying to apologize he witnesses a vision of light. While he once feared the blackness of death, he now saw the light and didn’t fear it. His last two hours of life he accepts death and is at peace. Ivan died at age 42.
In 1882, it was announced that Ivan Ilyich was dead, after having suffered from an incurable disease for months. The death notice is read in the newspaper at the court house where he worked as a judge. Hearing the news, Ivan’s former coworkers selfishly think to themselves about the possible promotions that will result.
Pyotr Ivanovich, a close friend of Ivan’s felt obligated to make an appearance at the widow’s home for the funeral service. While suffering in pain, Pyotr had even introduced Ivan to another friend who was a doctor. Pyotr is uncomfortable and doesn’t know how to act in the room where Ivan’s body was laid out. He is approached by the widow of Ivan Ilyich. She tells him of the suffering that Ivan lived through in his last few
days before death. The widow questions him about her possibly gaining more money from the government because of Ivan’s death. Pyotr doesn’t think that this is possible and is excused. He leaves and begins thinking about his own mortality. He stands quietly through the service and immediately following its conclusion, Pyotr is the first to leave.
The story of the agony of illness and torment of knowing one is sinking into death seems to end how it began. Ivan pleads that those around him don’t understand what he is going through. He himself is troubled in believing that he could be dying. Those around him watch his demise but never gain insight into their own lives much the way Ivan hadn’t until it was too late.
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