Tolstoy's religion can be divided into two parts: pre and post conversion. He was baptized into a life of privilege and wealth in Czarist Russia. Since "The Death of Ivan Illych" was written in post conversion we decided to use his own words to describe pre-conversion. In his 1884 book Confession he wrote:
"I cannot recall those years without horror, loathing and heart rending pain. I killed people in war, challenged men to duels with the purpose of killing them, and lost at cards; I squandered the fruits of the peasants toil and then had them executed; I was a fornicator and a cheat. Lyi…
