Ivan Illyich – Death and Dying
Ivan Illyich is a Russian Judge of the high court as his story illustrates, as narrated by Tolstoy. He is displayed as a miserable husband but a proud father and a mobile member of the professional class in Russia. Although he did not have a pleasant relationship with his wife, he was living a pleasant life. However, one day while hanging curtains in his families’ new apartment, which clearly illustrates that he was from a high social class, he suffered a minor accident and ended up with a bruise. After some time, Ivan developed a strange taste in his mouth coupled with some persistent pain. Although his doctor first assured him it was not a serious problem, the medication prescribed did not offer any relief. Since he had the money, a lot of very expensive doctors were consulted to try and treat him but it was all in vain (Tolstoy Para 8).
Although they were able to diagnose his problem as a blind gut and floating kidneys, they were not in a position to provide any medication that would cure him or at least explain the cause of the misery. Consequently, it became obvious to everyone that Ivan was on his death bed a situation which was inevitable at that particular point. A lot happened to him before his death and this essay shall therefore focus on his view of his own death, as well as the meaning of his final words before his death.
During his illness, Ivan was dwelling mainly on the idea that he never deserved death or pain because he had lived a life that he considered right. He had struggled to achieve his dreams, married a good wife although he never loved her and was bringing up his children in the best way possible. To him, pain and death was senseless since it affected him and he had lived a good life. He thought that he would only have had a reason to suffer if he never led a good life. At the same time, Ivan was harboring hateful feelings towards his family members due to their pretense that he was only sick while he was quite aware that he was dying. At hat particular point, his closest companion remained to be his servant by the name Gerasim who showed compassion to him and who never feared death. In addition, at the same time, Ivan began to reflect on his whole life since he had begun to wonder whether he had lived a good life as he had always thought (Tolstoy Para 15).
During Ivan’s last days, he realized the clear meaning of an authentic life and an artificial life. An artificial life which characterized his life was marked by masking the true meaning of life and the fear of death as well as self interest. On the other hand, an authentic life which Gerasim his boyhood servant was living was characterized by sympathy and compassion. He could not avoid feeling sorry for his wife and children due to the fact that they were living an artificial life characterized by fear of death while he had found the true meaning of living authentic life. He decided to act that all was well with him in order to avoid causing them much agony. He also realized that social life and family relations were all artificial since the main reason that was making people to agonize was their own self interest of what would happen to them after his death.
A study of Ivan’s last moments in the hospital clearly illustrates how he viewed his own death. To begin with, he did not quite understand the reason of his death since a reflection of his life clearly illustrated that he had lived a distant life. His own death could therefore not be justified and due to that, he termed death and pain as senseless. At that particular point, death was inevitable and it was the only way out of his condition. Although initially he was fearing death, his suffering made him to long for it though it was not forthcoming.
Ivan’s thought of his own death not only as a sign of relief to himself, but also to his wife and children. He battled with the idea that his death would bring joy to their lives as it would mark the end of their suffering. Instead of the original fear of death, he found out that there was light which illustrated joy. The phrase it is finished by people who were surrounding his death bed meant that death was already finished.
Ivan’s last word as indicated in the studies of Tolstoy (Para 13) as “Death is over, there is no more death” can be interpreted to mean different things and ideas. Immediately after Ivan said those words, the same studies indicate that he died. Therefore, it is clear that in the life of human beings, the only thing that is inevitable is death. Even after Ivan reflected on his life and found out that he had lived a good life and did not deserve to die, he later desired that he may die and end his suffering. Moreover, even if most individuals live a life that is characterized by the fear of death, at the end of everything, fear disappears since when all is said and done, death can not be avoided.
Ivan’s last words can also clearly illustrate the kind of life that he had lived. He always thought that he had lived his live the best way possible but towards his death, he realized that it was a lie. Although he strived to do what was expected of him and what he expected of himself, he realized at the time of his death that he was never happy. In addition, he was lonely and no one really loved him. He also did not love his wife and children but only felt pity for them. As a result, that kind of life could not have been described as life but death. Due to this Ivan had all reasons to be happy at his death point after realizing that it was over and that was the reason why he exclaimed loudly that it is over and death is no more (Tolstoy Para 9).
Life according to Ivan was a major struggle that could also have been likened to death. The society and even an individual usually have a lot of expectations. Moreover, even the act of dying was not easy since for the duration that he was in such great and unbearable pain he did not manage to die without struggle. His story indicates that he was struggling not to be put in a sack and according to him, good woks was the major hindrance. However, since death is inevitable at last he found some light and was able to die peacefully.
Living a life that is artificial characterized by lack of sympathy and compassion makes people to have great fear of death. Once a person realizes the original life, the fear of death vanishes and death seizes to be a problem. This is the main reason why immediately Ivan realized the meaning of an original life, his fear of death vanished and consequently death was also no more hence his words death is no more (Tolstoy Para 8).
The story of the death of Ivan may have a lot of hidden meaning in the current society. It is ironical how a dying man can assume that all is well with him in order to comfort those people suffering due to his misery. It also bear’ noting that since Ivan at the point of his death realized that death is inevitable, it is important for human beings to make the right choices while still alive in order minimize or reduce the fear of death. Lastly, death is as a result of the fear of death and once the fear vanishes, death becomes no more (Lorimer pp. 163).
Works Cited
Tolstoy, Leo. The Death of Ivan Ilyich. n. d. Retrieved on 19th August 2010 http://www.ralphmag.org/DU/ilyich.html
Tolstoy, Lev, N. The Death of Ivan Ilych. 1986. Retrieved on 19th August from: http://www.ccel.org/ccel/tolstoy/ivan.txt
Lorimer, David. Survival? Body, mind, and death in the light of psych experience. Routledge, London. 1984.
Use the order calculator below and get started! Contact our live support team for any assistance or inquiry.
[order_calculator]