The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Other Stories · Character
Kornéy Vasílyef
A prosperous peasant returning home to a village full of rumors about his wife, whose simmering jealousy drives him toward a crime he cannot undo.
major
Also known as Kornéy
First appearance: Kornéy Vasílyef
As a major figure in The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Other Stories, Kornéy Vasílyef is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
Kornéy Vasílyef comes back to his village in his cloth coat and sheepskin, a man of some means and considerable pride. On the road, the drunken driver Kouzmá whispers that Kornéy's wife Martha has taken her former lover Justin as a laborer and is living with him. Kornéy says little, but his dark eyes and lowering brows betray a jealousy that will not be reasoned away, and the story follows the terrible logic of a man who cannot bear to be made a fool.
Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.
Character Web
6 connectionsA slice of how Kornéy Vasílyef sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Other
Character groups
- Diverse Character Assortment
- Peasants and Masters
- Artists and Patrons
- Military Officers and Hussars
+1 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Falling action.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
The emotional peak is Esarhaddon's shocking, direct confrontation with the truth that he and his victim are on…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingIn the story
Kornéy Vasílyef appears across 1 companion beat. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
Chapter companion notes
Spoil-light check-ins for Kornéy Vasílyef unlock in the free preview.
See Kornéy Vasílyef in Kornéy Vasílyef