'The Death of Ivan Ilych'

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer examines that within Lev Tolstoy's short story "The Death of Ivan Ilych", the title character, a materialistic and shallow member of the 19th century Russian bourgeoisie named Ivan Ilych, actually experiences two separate deaths: a physical death and a spiritual death. In this essay, the writer discusses the process of Ivan Ilych's spiritual death and rebirth within the story. The writer looks at the way in which Tolstoy foreshadows both Ivan's death and spiritual rebirth throughout the story. Further, the writer discusses ways that these two deaths that Ivan Ilych experiences are interconnected.

From the Paper:

"This is the first foreshadowing Tolstoy provides the reader of Ivan Ilych's later death from complications due to this injury.
Undaunted for now, however, Ivan soon begins his new job, and a day to day existence that is comfortable but middling, unremarkable, and in fact quite bereft on any meaningfulness, emotional engagement, of deep (or even varied) feelings. In fact, as Tolstoy implies, Ivan's job and life are a sort of living death."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Tolstoy, Lev. "The Death of Ivan Ilych." July 8, 2000. Grand Rapids, MI: Christian Classics Ethereal Library. Retrieved March 26, 2006, from: <http://www.ccel.org/ccel/tolstoy/ivan.html>.

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