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Spirituality In Thomas Merton's The Death Of Ivan Ilych

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Leo Tolstoy emulates Thomas Merton's beliefs about spirituality in his novella The
Death of Ivan Ilych. While Merton, in his work Thoughts in Solitude, warns against becoming entrenched in one's material possessions because they obstruct one's vision of reality, Tolstoy's character Ivan Ilych attaches an inordinate amount of importance on his possessions. Merton believes that "there is no greater disaster...than to be immersed in unreality" (Merton); however, Ivan Ilych would "sometimes [have] moments of absent-mindedness…and would consider whether he should have straight or curved cornices for his curtains" (Tolstoy 114). The beauty and allure of material possessions distract from their temporality and overshadow love and spirituality, which grant eternal life. …show more content…

Merton considers material possessions as unreality because they hold no lasting benefit and do not facilitate one’s achievement of eternal life; therefore, they should not transcend the importance of one’s family or relationship with God. Ivan Ilych, however, does not initially recognize the gravity of Merton’s teaching, and his materialistic ways eventually lead to his downfall. Contrary to what Ivan Ilych believes, Thomas Merton teaches that life is not enriched by earthly possessions. Merton belief that one’s “life is nourished by [his or her] vital relations with realities outside and above [him or her]” (Merton) is embodied in The Death of Ivan Ilych when “[Ivan Ilych’s son] caught [his hand] and pressed it to his lips” (Tolstoy 155). At this moment, the gentle embrace from Ivan Ilych’s son that represents God’s mercy allows him to discern the reality that only God, not material possessions, can satisfy the void in one’s heart. Once frighten by death, Ivan Ilych now embraces it without fear because his heart, that was once filled with unnecessary luxuries, now overflows with love, which gives him strength. However,

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