The Death of Ivan Ilych

"The Death of Ivan Ilych", first published in 1886, is a novella written by Leo Tolstoy, one of the masterpieces of his late fiction. The novella tells the story of the death, at age 45, of a high-court judge in 19th-century Russia. Living what seems to be a good life, his dreadful relationship with his wife notwithstanding, Ivan Ilyich Golovin injures his side while hanging up curtains in a new apartment intended to reflect his family's superior status in society. Within weeks, he has developed...