At some point in our lives, many of us wonder about life’s true purpose and consider the consequences of living a superficial lifestyle. It seems with the advancement of society, the ‘meaning of life’ has become obscure, as many of us are encouraged through advertising and peer pressure to focus on material success and social status. But how many of us stop to think about the consequences that losing ourselves to this brings? Of how hollow our lives can become if we embrace this uncertain path.
Tolstoy’s The Death of Ivan Ilyich exists to teach a lesson on how a superficial lifestyle corrupts the mind. This short story not only challenges us to confront our mortality, but also to reconsider our life choices in the hope it could help us return to an ‘authentic’ way of living. A way in which real connections are cherished, and where we recognise the bigger things at play. If ever there was a time to reflect on life’s true purpose, the moment is now, and Tolstoy’s story offers a powerful glimpse into this sad reality.
People often avoid the things they find uncomfortable because of a fear of what they might find. Tolstoy’s protagonist, Ivan Ilyich is not that person. Willingly or reluctantly, he faces his fear. Through this, he becomes a changed man. This book, as the name suggests, follows the tragedy of how Ivan Ilyich came to die. It tells a simple enough story with a compelling narrative, plot and twist, and is unique in a sense that, on the surface, it seems like a cliché story about how a powerful man falls from power. What makes it striking however, is its philosophical tone that pushes the reader into thinking deeply about a question that is so little thought about: is it possible to embrace death as a friend rather than an enemy? And does our perception of life change as we die?
A life of regret
Ivan Ilyich is a powerful figure from an elite social circle. He cares more about his status and wealth than he cares about his wife and children. His desire for power brought about a debilitating illness that forces him bedridden for the last months of his life. As he lives in excruciating pain, he goes through a philosophical awakening where he is irrevocably acquainted with death. Here’s how Tolstoy writes this moment:
“Ivan Ilyich saw that he was dying and was in continual despair. At the bottom of his heart Ivan Ilyich knew that he was dying; but so far from growing used to the idea, he simply did not grasp it – he was utterly unable to grasp it.”
Not only does he struggle to overcome this internal battle, but he is also faced with the reality of time moving forward without him. He notices his family and associates slowly forgetting his presence, and after denying the severity of his illness for so long, they eventually accept his fate before it even comes to pass. This ignites in Ivan, a feeling of anger, fear, loneliness and resentment which drives him deeper into his contemplation of the meaning of life and death. The more he discovers, the more agonising his physical pain becomes, pushing him closer to death’s door. His restraint no longer sustains him, and after resisting with all his might, here is how he eventually accepts death:
“What hindered him from getting into it was his claim that his life had been good. That very justification of his life held him fast and prevented him from advancing and caused him more agony than everything else”.
Philosophical awakening
The reader is taken through the life of Ivan Ilyich, exploring his career, his setbacks and achievements. The story is told through past and present events followed by a brief flashback to unfold to the reader, the circumstances of Ivan’s death. But this is no easy read. Though the story is only 88 pages long, but is packed full of vivid imagery and descriptions that help the reader feel every emotion of the character. It has the reader slowly becoming the character, perhaps feeling the pain that he feels:
“It peeped through the screen; he caught a glimpse of It. It just peeped through, and still he hoped it would disappear but involuntarily he would watch for the pain in his side – there it was, the same as before, aching, aching all the time, and now he can forget it no longer, and it is staring at him”.
This is a Russian book written in 1886. The author, Tolstoy, during a moment in his life, went through somewhat of a philosophical journey where he became enlightened by the values of Christian charity, love and mortality. This formed the basis on which the book was written on – with death being a central theme and the protagonist being a personified representation of it.
A brilliant classic: mind-altering and shocking
What makes a book a classic? Well, its ingenious way of articulating life’s universal themes: morality, corruption, love and adversity. The book is not only of literary ingenuity, but is also philosophically brilliant. Its aim is to teach the reader about the importance of life and death, as well as the consequences of human actions. As it seems, its aim is to acquaint the reader with this macabre view on the world and to have it ponder in the mind on purpose.
“Ivan Ilyich was left alone with the consciousness that his life was poisoned and was poisoning the lives of others, and that this poison did not weaken but penetrated more and more deeply into his whole being.”
The book is gripping, shocking and mind altering. It teaches a profound lesson about the human condition. If you are familiar with the work of Tolstoy through many novels like, War and Peace and Anna Karenina, this book is another one of his works that you should read. Its writing is intelligible and simple but somehow engaging and witty. It is a fantastic introduction to his many works and is without question, a book worth reading at least once in your life.
“He fought as a man condemned to death fights in the hands of the executioner, knowing that he cannot save himself. And every moment he felt that, notwithstanding all his struggles, he was drawing nearer and nearer to what terrified him”.
