Tolstoy's The Death Of Ivan Ilyich

The Death of Ivan Ilyich
The Death of Ivan Ilyich, by Tolstoy, is the story of a man who is faced with suffering and death in which no one seems to believe him. He’s a common man with common dreams. He’s not extraordinary in any way. Ivan Ilyich is a good literary protagonist. His character goes though ups and downs, is well rounded and relatable.
Ivan married Praskovya Fedorovna. Ivan doesn’t appear to be in love with her. She is attractive, has money, a good social standing and he really has no objection to her, “…the marriage gave him personal satisfaction, and at the same time it was considered the right thing by the most highly placed of his associates” (Lawall). This is a relatable piece of life. This may have held more truth back in this era, but it’s not that far off today either. Many people marry for reasons other than love.
He was said to be a gentleman and was admired by his peers. When things were good, they were good. And when they weren’t, well, they just weren’t. “His wife, without any reason – de gaiete de coeur as Ivan Ilych expressed it to himself – began to disturb the pleasure and propriety of their life. She began to be jealous without any cause, expected him to devote his whole attention to her, found fault with everything, and made coarse and ill-mannered scenes” (Lawall). The ups and downs of his life are what make him a good literary protagonist. Perhaps this scene is one that men can be empathetic towards more than