The story The Death of Ivan Ilych, written by Leo Tolstoy, emphasizes the topic of life regrets. The main character Ivan Ilych, a member of the judicial chamber, and nobleman, has recently died. The story’s narration is centered on describing the character’s emotions during life and illness. The author strives to convey the idea that unconscious life and striving for prosperity lead to regrets and despair.
Ivan Ilyich is an ordinary person who seeks a comfortable life. But on the threshold of death, the character entirely reconsiders his life values understanding that he has never been sincerely happy. Throughout his illness, Ivan Ilyich is tormented by existential doubts. The character realizes that his life will end soon. This new thinking and emotions give rise to further doubts and self-analysis. At this exact moment, Ivan moves to the next step in spiritual evolution. Pain and misunderstanding force him to search intensely for an answer. Ivan suddenly understands that his life was wasted, and nothing can be returned. This realization comes when Ivan Ilyich inadvertently compares his family, the far-fetched values of his wife, her lies, pretense, and the peasant Gerasim, who is the only one who does not pretend.
Ivan Ilyich realizes that, unlike a simple peasant, he never lived for others. He has never considered doing something helpful, necessary, and kind. His social position and the path destined for him prevented him from realizing the truth. The character understands that to be truly happy, people need to live for others. Finally, Ivan Ilyich experiences the unknown previous emotions: pity and compassion. He feels regret all harm he caused to people. Only after this is his soul may be rebirthed. The pain that tormented him immediately disappears, the fear of death is gone, and Ivan Ilyich dyes with the feeling that he did everything right on the threshold of death.
The story of death depicts the search for the meaning of life and its acquisition, albeit hopelessly late. The author creates such a character to evoke readers’ understanding of the genuine life meaning. Ivan Ilyich realizes the true values of life only by being close to death. However, showing this character’s suffering, Tolstoy claims that it is never too late to start searching for happiness. Through thorough self-analysis and despair, people can comprehend the genuine sense of life.