Literature and Life By Caitlin Humphries ENGL 2303 Dr. Marian Crum-Mack June 27, 2000 Leo Tolstoy, born in Russia in 1828, wrote The Death of Ivan Ilych. The story was written eight years after Tolstoy’s spiritual conversion and was inspired by his own brother’s death. The Death of Ivan Ilych has several ironies expressed in the story. Ilych expressed his denial, anger, depression and acceptance towards dying very visibly. Ilych expressed denial of his condition when he …showed first 75 words of 690 total…

…showed last 75 words of 690 total…me die in peace!” The doctor came to visit him as scheduled and one day he told the doctor, “you know you can do nothing for me, so leave me alone.” Ilych told him that he could not even ease his pain so let him be. He struggled and suffered with severe pain for three days and would scream hopelessly. Suddenly he knew what was happening to him and wanted to release himself from suffering.