Long after completing his two masterpieces, War and Peace and Anna Karinina, achieving world fame, an older man, Tolstoy penned this short story, examining death, and what constitutes a 'good' life'. What is a life well lived? Whether this text answers this question is really up to the reader. From a cultural and societal perspective, Ilyich's has met all expectation, though in death he confronts life's meaning.
Our protagonist is a respected citizen of Moscow from a good family. He is educated in law to become a respectable judge. We see him move up in status and later marry a woman who he deems appropriate though never expresses any real feelings for her or in general. She fits well in his view what constitutes a good wife, though more precisely, what others believe is a successful marriage. We come to discover that she is not a very deep person and looks at her husband with some bitterness and disrespect. Their bourgeoisie status, however, is cemented when he is promoted and moves into a big house, where he conducts extensive restorations at considerable expense. It is here that he has a slight fall, injuring himself that sets his painful demise in motion.
Ilyich's health diminishes at a slow rate and by the end the pain is unbearable. At first the doctors really don't have a clue as to what is wrong with the man, and we as readers never understand his illness. Ivan's disgust for his doctors grows. Ivan's disgust with his family grows, especially his wife. They seem to be more concerned about how his illness affects them socially and personally. He slowly becomes acutely aware of this fact. The only person in his immediate circle that cares for the man is his humble servant. The servant displays an unusual kindness for Ivan, attentive without patronizing or showing pity. Ivan comes to the end of his life feeling that nothing was worth it, no love or meaning at all. He dies an excruciating death.
Living one's life only on the surface, achieving only the expectations of society in a wholly materialistic manner is death to the spirit. Through Ilich's life, bourgeoise goals of action and material status was his only concern. The man's only interaction with his fellow human being was a weekly card game, and this activity was not to form deeper friendships, but only to win the game.
In The Death of Ivan Ilyich, we come to understand that living only a materialistic existence without at least an exploration into the philosophical, the spiritual, life in the end has no meaning. Ilyich lived a materialistic life and died a horrible meaningless death.
A lesson for us all.
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