The Death Of Ivan Iliych Analysis
Wolfe 2
Wolfe
J.L. Nason
LIT 425
14 September 2012
Reflection 2 In The Death of Ivan Iliych, the root of Ivan’s suffering is illustrated by the passage, “He wept on account of his helplessness, his terrible loneliness, the cruelty of man, the cruelty of God, and the absence of God” (Tolstoy 47). He is unable to accept that decisions that he had made throughout his life had brought him to this point. He does not see that his selfishness; his inability to develop personal connections, and his lack of compassion for his wife, his family, his professional and social acquaintances, or his lack spirituality are being reflected in his illness. Ivan was incapacitated with terrible, uncontrollable pain, and under the influence of opium, possibly causing heightened anxiety, hallucinations and paranoia. He lay awake many nights, terrified by his undiagnosed illness. It was ruining his life, and in turn he took out his anger on those around him. So he lived, “all alone on the brink of an abyss, with no one who understood or pitied him” (28). Although he realizes he is dying he can’t believe it is happening to him. The only small relief he can find in his physical …show more content…
and emotional pain, is from his servant. The young man named Gerasim shows compassion; even pities his condition, trying to relieve his pain by holding Ivan’s legs over his shoulders; hours on end. He feels loneliness, and a lack of compassion from his wife. “He hates her with his Wolfe 2 whole soul (Tolstoy 43). His marriage had been “a pure accident” (48) and over the years had become increasingly unbearable. Early on, unable to emphasize with her feelings and subjected to the unpleasantness of her demeanor he had detached himself from his family in favor of his career and separate social pursuits. At this point, his wife, Praskovya Fedorovna, also hates him. After years of poor treatment and his frequent volatile outbursts, she “wishes he would die”. (43) He feels tortured and deceived by the family, friends and doctors who act like he isn’t dying, just ill; and that with treatment he will get better. “The awful, terrible act of his dying was… reduced by those about him to the level of a casual, unpleasant, and almost indecorous incident” (39). He wishes someone would recognize his distress and express their sympathy, but realizes everyone is self-absorbed, not caring about his desperation or despair; instead wondering how soon he will die and how it will affect them. “This falsity around him and within him did more than anything else to poison his last days” (39). Ivan felt he had led a good and proper life, and that he was unjustly being penalized with an illness he didn’t deserve, and this torments him.
He is unable to resolve why he is dying. “His mental sufferings were due to the fact… the question suddenly occurred to him: “What if my whole life has been wrong?” (52). Although he ponders this, it is not until the priest hears his confession he “was softened and seemed to feel a relief from his doubts and consequently from his sufferings” (54). On his deathbed his son sits beside him and weeps. He realizes that his life was not as it should have been; that he had been cruel and emotionally selfish to his family. He realizes that he can change this by dying and ending the suffering of those around him, and this in turn will release him from his
pain. Wolfe 3
Works Cited
Duffys. Opium: Opium Side Effects. http://www.opium.org/opium-side-effects.html n.p.
Tolstoy, Leo (2010-07-01). The Death of Ivan Ilych (p. 38). Fair Price Classics. Kindle Edition.
Wolfe
J.L. Nason
LIT 425
14 September 2012
Reflection 2 In The Death of Ivan Iliych, the root of Ivan’s suffering is illustrated by the passage, “He wept on account of his helplessness, his terrible loneliness, the cruelty of man, the cruelty of God, and the absence of God” (Tolstoy 47). He is unable to accept that decisions that he had made throughout his life had brought him to this point. He does not see that his selfishness; his inability to develop personal connections, and his lack of compassion for his wife, his family, his professional and social acquaintances, or his lack spirituality are being reflected in his illness. Ivan was incapacitated with terrible, uncontrollable pain, and under the influence of opium, possibly causing heightened anxiety, hallucinations and paranoia. He lay awake many nights, terrified by his undiagnosed illness. It was ruining his life, and in turn he took out his anger on those around him. So he lived, “all alone on the brink of an abyss, with no one who understood or pitied him” (28). Although he realizes he is dying he can’t believe it is happening to him. The only small relief he can find in his physical …show more content…
and emotional pain, is from his servant. The young man named Gerasim shows compassion; even pities his condition, trying to relieve his pain by holding Ivan’s legs over his shoulders; hours on end. He feels loneliness, and a lack of compassion from his wife. “He hates her with his Wolfe 2 whole soul (Tolstoy 43). His marriage had been “a pure accident” (48) and over the years had become increasingly unbearable. Early on, unable to emphasize with her feelings and subjected to the unpleasantness of her demeanor he had detached himself from his family in favor of his career and separate social pursuits. At this point, his wife, Praskovya Fedorovna, also hates him. After years of poor treatment and his frequent volatile outbursts, she “wishes he would die”. (43) He feels tortured and deceived by the family, friends and doctors who act like he isn’t dying, just ill; and that with treatment he will get better. “The awful, terrible act of his dying was… reduced by those about him to the level of a casual, unpleasant, and almost indecorous incident” (39). He wishes someone would recognize his distress and express their sympathy, but realizes everyone is self-absorbed, not caring about his desperation or despair; instead wondering how soon he will die and how it will affect them. “This falsity around him and within him did more than anything else to poison his last days” (39). Ivan felt he had led a good and proper life, and that he was unjustly being penalized with an illness he didn’t deserve, and this torments him.
He is unable to resolve why he is dying. “His mental sufferings were due to the fact… the question suddenly occurred to him: “What if my whole life has been wrong?” (52). Although he ponders this, it is not until the priest hears his confession he “was softened and seemed to feel a relief from his doubts and consequently from his sufferings” (54). On his deathbed his son sits beside him and weeps. He realizes that his life was not as it should have been; that he had been cruel and emotionally selfish to his family. He realizes that he can change this by dying and ending the suffering of those around him, and this in turn will release him from his
pain. Wolfe 3
Works Cited
Duffys. Opium: Opium Side Effects. http://www.opium.org/opium-side-effects.html n.p.
Tolstoy, Leo (2010-07-01). The Death of Ivan Ilych (p. 38). Fair Price Classics. Kindle Edition.