The Death of Ivan Ilyich 

Leo Tolstoy, a Russian Writer known for his stories involving subject matter of isolation and societal class, further elicits these common themes in The Death of Ivan Ilyich. Throughout the story, the main character, Ivan Ilyich, struggles immensely with society and class. It is something that he considers essential to seek happiness in life. Another characteristic of this text is the theme of lies and deceit given that almost all of the characters are selfish and most concerned with their well being. This is evident with the initial scene of the story. Tolstoy starts the story out at Ilyich’s funeral. However, rather than a typical funeral, his had no sadness or mourning from the people who have attended. In fact, each person at the funeral only was curious how they could benefit from his death. This selfishness was evident throughout all of Ilyich’s life and after the funeral, the narrator reflects on Ilyich’s life.

While reflecting on Ilyich’s life, the narrator recalls how he lived a simple life. However, this simplicity caused it to a terrible life. The simplicity and attempt to be a member of societies highest class, ultimately resulted in Ilyich’s terrible life. His effort to reach social approval began as a child, where he lived a well balanced life and was exceptionally smart. This intelligence carried over into law school where he meets a woman, Praskovya Fedorovna, who later became his wife. Despite these triumphs in life, he found that he did not necessarily even love his wife, but he married her and attended law school to increase his social status which was his ultimate goal in life. The two ended up having two kids, and becoming a father helped him with the perfect image in the view of society. Moreover, the themes of isolation and selfishness are further demonstrated as Ilyich continues his life.

Eventually, despite doing his best efforts to be a member of the highest class, Ilyich is dissatisfied with his life, and moves to St. Petersburg, alone. This isolation is necessary to Ilyich to receive a higher salary and have a life with more prestige. Ilyich believes that this will make him a happier person, because life to him is what life is all about. While renovating and designing his new home in St. Petersburg, he takes a fall and gets injured in his side. Sadly, this injury ends up being the way Ilyich dies. Through extensive effort, Ilyich seeks out many doctors in hopes of finding out what is wrong with him. He stays hopeful despite never finding out what is wrong with him, or finding out a cure for his pain. Unfortunately, his hope diminishes when he finally comes to realize that he will die. His family does not come to comfort him in his dying days, so the only person there is to comfort him is a servant, Gerasim. Though Ilyich spent his whole life in an attempt to receive high social status, Ilyich spends much of his last days with Gerasim. His time with Gerasim led Ilyich to realize that he never spent any moment of his life in happiness. What he thought would bring him happiness his whole life turned out to be a lie, and he had been living life the wrong way. Gerasim, a servant, helped Ilyich realize that his ambition for attaining the highest social class did not give him any happiness. Even though Gerasim was a servant, and a member of the lowest social class, Ilyich realizes that they are equals. Thus, his whole life’s goal had been failed and Ilyich accepts the fact that his life was a failure, and dies with this understanding that he had lived his life for all the wrong reasons.