The Death of Ivan Ilych | Characterization and the Theme of Redemption
Frattarola is a freelance writer and scholar. In the following essay, she discusses characterization and the theme of redemption in the story.
Though ‘‘The Death of Ivan Ilych’’ is an affective text which is still read with enthusiasm today, there are some difficulties which contemporary readers may have with Tolstoy’s novella. The character of Ivan Ilych and the shallowness of his colleagues and wife are haunting for any reader. They come alive in their superficiality and their mundane worries. In many ways, these characters can be seen as the norm in our society when viewed through a pessimistic lens. However, Tolstoy does supply his readers with a few minor exceptions among the majority of pathetic characters. It...
[The entire page is 1617 words long]
Join eNotes
The above is a free excerpt. Get total access to this content with the:
Summary and Analysis – Themes – Characters – And much more...
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Navigate
Related Topics
Tell a friend about The Death of Ivan Ilych at eNotes.
