Gendered Double Standard Essay - 1,084 words

Gendered double standard What comes on your mind on hearing Samuel Johnson idea that nothing can please many, and please
long, but just representations of general nature? Literature that endures the test of time, the literature that reflects on situations and
characteristics that most of us share, that are common to people across boundaries of time and place. Lets find a sample of literary
work which, as we feel, best exhibit this quality of being a just representation of general nature and the work, which seems to be least
representative of common experience. Tolstoys Death of Ivan Ilych as a story that best exhibits this quality of being a "just
representation of general nature" Moral and mental rebirth of an antagonist is the main idea of Tolstoys Death of Ivan Ilych.
Tolstoys work is so amazing that it is very difficult to write an essay about it. This novel captivates by its inner harmony, strikes by
symmetry of parts and seems to be an embodiment of just representation of general nature. It forces you to feel the difference
between life and death, simplicity and naivety, noble restraint and anemia, style and stylization, mirth and revelry The reality is quite
simple, but beautiful. Tolstoy demonstrates it skillfully. This approach to interpretation is quite interesting and quite close to my own
understanding of Death of Ivan Ilych.

For example, Ivan Ilych is the most interesting due to aspects of his character. The story is based on contrasts between new
representations of Ivan Ilych about life and the way his co-workers and family understand life (Magarshack, p.297). Ivan Ilych finds
out how useless his life was when he followed and obeyed rules and habits, guided by people belonging to his social circle. When you
read the story, it seems you live and die with the character. You can feel his emotions when Ivan Ilych realized that he was lost, that
there was no return, that the end had come, the very end, and his doubts were still unsolved and remained doubts (Tolstoy,.ch. XII).

He embodies an amazing mix of despair and passion. Just read these words, - they embody the sense of the whole novel: For three
whole days, during which time did not exist for him, he struggled in that black sack into which he was being thrust by an invisible,
resistless force. He struggled as a man condemned to death struggles in the hands of the executioner, knowing that he cannot save
himself. And every moment he felt that despite all his efforts he was drawing nearer and nearer to what terrified him. he felt that his
agony was due to his being thrust into that black hole and still more to his not being able to get right into it (Tolstoy,.ch. XII). Tolstoy
uses excellent word expressions: black sack, thrust into that black hole, he was lost, no return, the end had come Dont they remind
you Maeterlincks l'intruse? The novel is full of hidden sense.

I think, the Death of Ivan Ilych stays true to ideas of existentialism, as well as it is consistent with the way Tolstoy presents it. Why
do we like the Tolstoys Death of Ivan Ilych? What increased awareness did we take away from reading the novel? Ive read an
endless number of other literary works before Tolstoys Death of Ivan Ilych. However, this novel doesnt get on our case,
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Essay Tags: ivan, double standard, tolstoy, edgar allan poe, tale This is an Essay sample / Research paper, you can use it for your research of:
Gendered Double Standard