61 pages • 2 hours read
The Death of Ivan Ilyich
A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Chapters 2-3Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 2 Summary
The plot shifts back in time and begins an overview of Ivan Ilyich’s simple “and therefore most terrible” life (255). In youth, he goes through life checking the social boxes necessary to progress continuously in his education and career. He meets his future wife, Praskovya Fedorovna Mikhel, and marries her because she’s a fine enough match, is not bad looking, and comes from a family with some property. The marriage is unremarkable until Praskovya Fedorovna becomes pregnant with their first child. She grows resentful of her husband, and Ivan Ilyich turns his attention to his career.
Ivan Ilyich and Praskovya Fedorovna have several children, three of whom die. The relationship between Ivan Ilyich and Praskovya Fedorovna becomes “still more unpleasant” as their family life progresses (261). Still, Ivan Ilyich finds satisfaction in his work. He moves through the ranks of his profession and is promoted from Assistant Public Prosecutor to Public Prosecutor. The new title requires another location transfer, this time to a province with a higher cost of living, stretching the family’s finances despite a salary increase.
As he continues his upward professional trajectory, Ivan Ilyich spends less time with his increasingly unhappy wife and growing family. He assumes that Plus, gain access to 8,650+ more expert-written Study Guides. Including features:
Unlock all 61 pages of this Study Guide
Related Titles
By Leo Tolstoy
