What exactly is dysfunctional? Who wrote the rules for good family or societal behavior? How do you know exactly what the right reaction is? Every family has its crazy members and every town its crazy citizens, but many do a great job of hiding it. Especially when it comes to high social status. Many are very careful not to air their dirty laundry in public. There are times when things can get out of control and the unthinkable can happen. Is it fair for a single person to automatically designate themselves head of family like Orgon in Tartuffe? And Ivan Ilyich? Would he have been considered the head of the household, because he let his wife's attitude predict the family's social status? These two stories are classics of situational irony, not only on the part of families, but also on the part of human nature. To analyze Tartuffe and The Death of Ivan Ilyitch and then compare them, you must have an open mind to all kinds of behavior and believe that these situations are indeed a reality. Tartuffe's play actually had a lot of different personalities. Although The Death of Ivan Ilyich actually only had one main point of view, enough information was provided about Ivan's wife to be able to hypothesize about her attitude. The first characters that come to mind to compare are Madame Perenelle and Ivan's wife Praskovya. Both women were elevated on the social ladder and both seemed to have a sense of entitlement to themselves. They also felt the need to take the lead and demanded to be heard. There aren't many things that stop women from going out of their way and that can either help or hurt people. It seems in both of these stories that they were actually a nuisance to other members of the family. Praskovya was not the caring wife of Ivan who was... middle of paper... whose feelings were hurt or the actions of a devoted daughter like Mariane who would obey her father no matter what. his. feelings. The technology, time, place, situation and scenario have not changed anything over time. The only diminishing quality we see less of today is dedication and support like that of Dorine and Gerasim. Who knows what this world will actually end up with, but who sets the rules for what is right and wrong? Works cited Molière, Jean-Baptiste Poquelin. “Tartuffe.” Norton Anthology of World Literature: 1650 to the Present. 3rd ed. Volume D. Puchner, Akbari, Denecke et al. New York, London: WW Norton, 2012. 144-197. Print.Tolstoy, Leo. “The death of Ivan Ilyich.” Norton Anthology of World Literature: 1650 to the Present. 3rd ed. Volume E. Puchner, Akbari, Denecke et al. New York, London: WW Norton, 2012. 740-778. Print.