The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Other Stories · Chapter
The Willow explained
A peasant plants willow cuttings to make a hedge.
What happens
A peasant plants willow cuttings to make a hedge. Over many years, through repeated damage from sheep, lightning, and human use, only one tree survives and grows. It becomes a landmark for the village, providing shade and attracting bees. After the village is abandoned, the tree persists until children accidentally set it on fire while starting a fire to keep warm, ultimately killing it.
Themes in this chapter
Rural Life and the Landowner
The entire narrative is a microcosm of peasant life: the practical use of the willow for hedging, firewood, and beekeeping, and the tree's endurance through the rise and fall of a farming household.
Fate, Injustice, and Suffering
The willow's long life is a struggle against repeated destruction (sheep, lightning, axes), ending in a seemingly pointless, accidental death by fire, highlighting the arbitrary nature of fate and decay.
Key passages
“The peasant thought: “I will fence my garden with willows; they will grow up and will make a good hedge!””
The peasant's initial action is driven by a practical, utilitarian desire to improve his property.
Shows the human impulse to shape nature for personal benefit.
“The peasant that had set out the willow was long dead, and still it grew.”
The tree outlives its planter, becoming a persistent feature of the landscape.
Emphasizes the transience of human life compared to the enduring, though not permanent, life of nature.
“The children drove the horses home. The scorched willow was left all alone in the field.”
The children, unaware of the tree's history, cause its destruction and simply leave.
Highlights how profound endings can be caused by casual, ignorant actions.
“A black raven flew by, and he sat down on it, and cried: “So you are dead, old smudge! You ought to have died long ago!””
A raven delivers a harsh, final judgment on the tree's long-delayed demise.
The raven's comment underscores a natural, unsentimental perspective on death and decay.