The Battle Over Ivan Ilych's Soul

"Ivan Ilych's life had been most simple and most ordinary and therefore most terrible." There is a judgement being made on simple and ordinary. So what is considered simple and ordinary? In order to understand Ivan Ilych we need to examine the times in which he lived; What was socially acceptable? What was expected of him? How did he live his life?

Ivan Ilych was the pride of the family. He was intelligent, lively, pleasant and capable. He adopted values that people in high society deemed necessary. As a young man Ivan gave into vice but once he discovered this was the status-quo among highly placed people, he never reconsidered the morality of the acts. By all accounts he was a pleasant person. As were the customs of high society he would frequent the bordellos, play card games, and engage in relations with his superior's wife. A phrase that reoccurs is comme il faut or as it should be, suggesting that this behavior was expected of him. It was a rite of passage which he accepted without questioning the ethics of his conduct. In his professional life he never got emotionally involved and anything not pertaining to his service was omitted. He failed to make a connection with anyone and reveled in the fact he had the power to grant freedom or condemn those who came before him. Ivan Ilych's sole concern was to advance and he took pleasure in moving in the best circles of magistrates and the rich nobility. He wore elegant attire, dined with the right people, married the right girl, and did everything that was socially expected of him. He did not marry his wife because he loved her but out of necessity to climb the social ladder. It was a business proposition. Having a wife and children were essential to those who aspire to high positions. When Ivan's married life began to interfere with the pleasantness he tried so hard to create he spent more time at work.

It is a hollow existence. Ivan Ilych lacked a moral constitution and was obsessed with appearances. He avoided anything that would disrupt his world. He never really loved anyone or made a significant impact and thus Tolstoy would conclude he lived a terrible life. It's really an indictment on society and its values. All the good qualities he lost on his way to the top finally took their toll. He gained status but at what price? Was it worth his soul? He does redeem himself a little at the end when he endures the pain for his son and takes pity on his wife but it seems too little too late.