By: LEO TOLSTOY
Born: August 28, 1828
Tula Province, Russia
Died: November 9, 1910
The story is all about Ivan who is the main
character in the story. Ivan was a fair
haired handsome, curly headed fellow,
full of fun. He lived in the town of
Vladimir and had two shops. One
summer, Ivan was going to the fair and
as he said goodbye to his family, his
wife approached him and told him about
his bad dream.
This bad dream as when he returned back
and took off his cap. She saw that his
hair was already gray but he just
laughed and bad goodbye to his family
to go to the fair.
On his way, met a merchant whom
he knows and they put up at the
same inn. They had some tea
together and went to adjoining
rooms. It was not Ivan’s habit to
sleep late and wishing to travel
while it is still cool he aroused his
driver before dawn and told him
to ready the horse.
He continue his travel and when he
was already almost away a troika
drove up with the officials and came
to Ivan and began to question him.
Ivan answered them fully. The official
introduced himself saying I am the
police officer of this district and I
question you because the merchant
with whom you spent last night has
been found with throat cut. They
suspected him and researched his
things. They have began again
asking him about the knife.
Ivan was really shocked and could not utter
even single word. The police officer
ordered the soldiers to blind Ivan and to
put him in the cart. As they tied his feet
together and flung him into the cart, he
crossed himself and wept. His money
and goods were taken and was taken to
the nearest town and imprisoned him. He
was also put into the trial charged with
murdering a merchant and rubbing him of
twenty thousand rubles.
His wife was undispair and did not know
what to believe. Her children were all
quite small. Taking them all with her she
went to the jail and went to visit his
husband. For twenty six years Ivan lived
as a convict in Siberia. His hair turned
white as snow, and his beard grow long
thin, and gray. Ivan’s life changed when
he was in prison. He met a friend in the
prison which name Makar Semyonich
and introduced each other until they
become friend.
. One night as Ivan he was walking about the
prison he noticed some earth that come
rolling out from which the prison slept. He
stopped to see what it was. It was Makar he
sized his hand and told him that he had dug
a hale under the wall getting rid of the earth
for them to get out. He frightens Ivan that if
he would talk he will be killed, but Ivan
response told that he was killed long ago!
Next day, when the convicts were let out to
work the soldiers noticed that one of the
prisoners emptied boots some earth out of
him look.
The prison was searched and turned found.
The warden came and questions all the
prisoners to find who had dug the hale until
they came to ask Ivan.
Ivan was asked and knew that he would
tell the truth because he is the most
loyal among them. Maker began to
tremble with fear thinking that Ivan
would tell the truth but he did not, that
might when Ivan was lying on his bed
and just beginning to doze someone
came quietly and it was Makar.
Ivan threatened him that if he would not go
away he would call the policeman. Makar
bent close over him and whispered Ivan
forgive me. He confess to Ivan that he is the
one who killed the merchant and hid knife in
your things. Ivan was silent and did not
know what to say. Makar slid off the bed
shelf and knell upon him asking forgiveness.
Makar beat his head in floor. Ivan forgive me
He cried when Ivan heard him sobbing he
too began weep, God will forgive you said he
Maybe I am a hundred worse than you.
Ivan no longer desire leaves the prison but only
hoped for his last hour to come after the
confession of Makar. Inspired of what Ivan
had said Makar confess his guilt but when
the order for his release came, Ivan was
already dead.
1. How do you normally react when you
are wrongly accused?
2. Do you think waiting is a wise action?
Rancour-Laferriere, Daniel. Tolstoy on the
Couch: Misogyny, Masochism, and the
Absent Mother. New York: New York
University Press, 1998.
 Troyat, Henri. Tolstoy. Garden City, NY:
Doubleday, 1967. Reprint, New York: Grove
Press, 2001.
 Wilson, A. N. Tolstoy. London: H. Hamilton,
1988.
