The Agonizing Death of Ivan Ilyich: Leo Tolstoy’s Analysis of Genuine Verses Artificial Realities
Leo Tolstoy, a man whose philosophy was rooted in ascetic principles, greatly feared death for the duration of his life. Tolstoy understood natural human fascination with objects, titles, and propriety and within his own life, denied those material pleasures. Because Tolstoy eliminated all aspects of gluttony and artificiality, he was left with overwhelming uncertainty about the connection between an authentic, “real” life and the process of dying. Tolstoy’s uncertainties automatically horrified him because without distraction from possessions and materials, only ambiguity remained. He channels these philosophies and mystifications in his book The Death of Ivan Ilyich. Using the protagonist Ivan Ilyich and other characters to symbolize the natural materialism and greed of the human condition, Tolstoy exemplifies the importance of accepting mortality in order to lead a fully gratifying life. [Read more…]
