The Death of Ivan Ilych & Other Stories Quotes

“All the evil in man, one would think, should disappear on contact with Nature, the most spontaneous expression of beauty and goodness.”
― Leo Tolstoy, The Death of Ivan Ilych & Other Stories

“No hay felicidad en la existencia, no hay más que relámpagos de felicidad.”
― Leo Tolstoy, The Death of Ivan Ilych & Other Stories

“The main torment for Ivan Ilyich was the lie, that lie for some reason by everyone, that he was merely ill and not dying, and that he needed only to keep calm and be treated, and then something very good would come of it. While he knew that whatever they did, nothing would come of it except still more tormenting suffering and death. And he was tormented by that lie, tormented that no one wanted to acknowledge what they all knew and he knew, but wanted to lie to him about his terrible situation, and wanted him and even forced him to participate in that lie. The lie, this lie, perpetrated upon him on the eve of his death, the lie that must needs reduce the dreadful, solemn act of his death to the level of all their visits, curtains, sturgeon dinners... was terribly tormenting for Ivan Ilyich.”
― Leo Tolstoy, The Death of Ivan Ilych & Other Stories

“Because it will always be a lie. As though it were a strange sort of discovery that someone is in love! Just as if, as soon as he says that, something went snap-bang—he loves. Just as if, when he utters that word, something extraordinary is bound to happen, with signs and portents, and all the cannons firing at once. It seems to me, that people who solemnly utter those words, “I love you,” either deceive themselves or what’s still worse, deceive others.”
― Leo Tolstoy, The Death of Ivan Ilych & Other Stories

“At the bottom of his heart Ivan Ilyich knew that he was dying; but so far from growing used to the idea, he simply did not grasp it - he was utterly unable to grasp it”
― Leo Tolstoy, The Death of Ivan Ilych & Other Stories