Reading Notes W 11: The Death of Ivan Ilyich, Part A

Ivan Ilyich funeral is the introduction to the story. The conversation by Ivan’s so-called artistic acquaintances is cold and detached.  The author exposes mentality of many of the aristocrats’ during that period. At first glance one might think that his so-called friends and associates are rude and uncaring, but it is there way of life. They were more concerned about what type of inheritance he left behind or the lack of. They are bothered at the fact they must fulfill the demands of propriety by attending the funeral and visiting his wife (741).  Like Ivan they only want to appear to be people of high class by holding themselves slaves to their high societal positions. They wanted to appear like decent, honorable, and compassionate men, who respected their fellow college because this is what men of noble standards do. However, they were more concerned about the game of bridge than the death of a man they called friend (742). Peter Ivanovich is the only one who is seen as one who had a real intimate friendship with Ivan, “the thought of the sufferings of this man he had known so intimately, first as a merry little boy, then as a schoolmate, and later as a group colleague, yet his inner thoughts were about himself and not for the dear friend he just lost. 

Ivan Ilyich was a man of meager means, who worked hard like any other middle-class man to make a better life for himself and family. But instead of being grateful for what he had and proud of his accomplishments, he lived a life of striving. He was never satisfied and always wanted to be something more than himself. He wanted for nothing more than to be an aristocrat of the highest class.  He was different from his family members; he was intelligent, polished, lively and agreeable man (246).  He finished law school and was a capable, cheerful, good natured, and sociable man, which he thought to be his duty in life.  Appearing to be these things is what he thought made him an important member of society. He married not for love, but because that is what respectable men do.  His wife, Praskovya Fedorovna came of a good family, was not bad looking, and had some little property. He had his salary, and she, he hoped, would have an equal income. She was well connected and pretty, this made her right by aristocrats’ standards. Yet, he had soon realized that marriage was not always pleasurable and peaceful. He had unrealistic expectations and instead of working on his marriage. He deemed that fighting and being miserable was how it was supposed to be and that’s how all marriages was. He did what most of the men of the caliber he was trying to obtain, would do: work more to keep the peace, abandoning his family day in and day out. Appearing to everyone around him that he had a good marriage and a wonderful family at home. He would be a man working hard to make a living for his family, again that’s what noble men did back then in Ivan’s eyes. He made sure his kids were well educated and desired them to be well suited. He wanted everything to be perfect because it spoke to his identity as a man of a certain class. If everything was not in perfect order it somehow reflected his life and sent him spiraling in rage and depression. When getting a promotion, he felt like his life was back on track because once again he could keep up with the facade of being a man who was moving towards having the life style of an aristocrat. He overspent money trying to host extravagant parties for his co-workers to impress them, which caused problems with his marriage as well (756).

Ivan becomes ill due to probably his own arrogance of first, not going to the doctor after he fell and bruised his side. Secondly, he refused to take his medicine or have the surgery. His illness progresses, and he becomes bitter. He is envious of everyone around him who is dressed better than him or can do something he can’t do.

Towards the end Ivan knows he is dying and is now reflecting on his life and realizes that he had been foolish. He realizes that he spent his whole life trying to please man and be accepted into a certain societal class. When doing so, he embraces the truth of what’s important in life. He now feels compassion for his wife and son, who is in the room. He is trying to apologize to them but is unable to get the words out, hoping they understood. He dies a free man so to speak (278).