The Role Of Religion In Leo Tolstoy's The Death Of Ivan Ilych

The writings of Leo Tolstoy were quite the reflection of his life. Early in his childhood, Tolstoy became acquainted with death as both of his parents passed away. Thankfully, the orphaned Tolstoy was left a large sum of money and was able to further his education and seek meaningful work for his life, starting with the pursuit of an education in law. After many unfulfilling jobs, Tolstoy struggled with finding a purpose for his existence and began to put his faith into religious outlets. Ivan Ilych, the main character of his story The Death of Ivan Ilych, shows a struggle very similar to this. I believe that this novel is a reflection of the pursuit in which Tolstoy sought to find life fulfilling work, as well as a purpose for living.
Ivan Ilych is first introduced through …show more content…
In many instances, religious texts depict a character that comes from an impoverished background only to share the joys of life with those that are more fortunate, teaching them lessons about themselves. The character Ivan seems to become more understanding of the true nature of being human once he encounters the loving ways of Gerasim, as he sees him offering help in areas that others refuse. Gerasim is described as a man, “who has more compassion and understanding than all the other socially proper and therefore entirely empty and shallow characters” (Frattarola). This speaks volumes to Ivan and seems to alter his perspective on what should truly be valued in life, allowing him to find some peace in life before his passing. Gerasim is very similar to many orthodox religious figures, however, some other critics believe Ivan is focused on philosophical meanings to life rather than strictly religious matters, “some are arguing for a “mystical” element rather than a religious element in Tolstoy’s novella” (Donnelly