Abstract

This research re-examines Leo Tolstoy’s novel, The Death of Ivan Ilyich, through the lens of Albert Camus’s philosophical ideas. The primary research question is how this novel, as a narrative of human confrontation with death, is interpreted based on Camus’s fundamental philosophical concepts, and what new dimensions this reading reveals concerning the relationship between death, suffering, ethics, and freedom.



The research methodology in this paper is analytical-interpretive, based on a comparative approach. In this regard, the experience of confronting death and the internal transformation of the novel’s main character (Ivan Ilyich) are analyzed through Camus’s philosophical concepts, such as absurdity, freedom, rebellion, and memento mori, to elucidate the relationship between Tolstoy’s literary perspective and Camus’s philosophical reflections on death and the meaning of life.



The research findings indicate that despite significant differences in their intellectual foundations, both Tolstoy and Camus regard death as a decisive moment for the authentic realization of life and moral awakening. Tolstoy’s perspective leads this awakening to the discovery of transcendent meaning, whereas Camus’s philosophy posits that awareness of death culminates in the understanding of the world’s absurdity. However, this very awareness facilitates the experience of freedom, rebellion against absurdity, and the human creation of meaning. Consequently, in both perspectives, death becomes a pivotal moment for realizing human freedom and reconsidering the meaning of life.