Leo Tolstoy was a great humanist. Evolution of human character was a subject of his close attention. The main personage of the story 'The Death of Ivan Ilyich' is ordinary official who conduct his life according to a strict social code, never deviating from what was rule d by society, by his pleasure, by materialistic motives, but never by conscience. His contact with his wife and children was limited and shallow because he didn't find …showed first 75 words of 318 total…

…showed last 75 words of 318 total…gave birth to new consciousness. He suddenly perceived that man's essential life belongs to the spirit and well-being is achieved through loving of people. He asked forgiveness of his family for his sins and welcomed death... This moral transformation makes real end of his unreal life. As a moralist Tolstoy would like to play attention of Russian intelligentsia how badly they live, how they waste their talents, strengths, and capabilities. He called on moral self-improvement.