The Candle by Leo Tolstoy

"The Candle" by Leo Tolstoy presents many of the same themes that "How Much Land Does a Man Need?" presents. Nature, greed and cruelty, and foolery all are visible themes. However, the most predominant theme is religion, and within it, sin, repentance, and the vitality of faith and goodness. The final sentence summarizes this succinctly: that the peasants learn of the goodness in religion and its power over evil.

First, foolery makes yet another appearance, and once again the sentiments is uttered by a hypocrite under dramatic irony. Michael calls Peter a fool, yet really it is Michael who is the fool, sent to his death by greed and cruelty. Peter, called a fool (like the elder in "How Much Land Does a Man Need?") is truthfully wise (wiser than all the other characters) for he maintains goodness, patience, and faith, as shown by the candle which burns ever-brightly.

The Christian sins appear frequently throughout this story: greed, impatience, murder, breaking Sabbath or Holy-Day, and other transgressions. Most notably, there is the contention between Peter and Vasili over the matter of murder, and whether or not it is a sin when the victim is like the Devil. Peter, quite religiously and as the hero, maintains that murder is always wrong, and that God will dish the punishments. Vasili, on the opposite hand, thinks that murder is justifiable in this case. Because it is Peter who is most victorious-- his principles win out over Vasili's-- it is evident that Tolstoy's is voicing his preference for religious values once again.

Another theme that appears in this short story, and one that does not appear forthright in "How Much Land Does a Man Need?", is the prevalence of democracy. The serfs go to the capitol to demand justice (though they fail). Vasili tries to call the men together; the narrator mentions clearly, in the beginning, that serfs might normally be able to essentially "vote" out their cruel master. The undercurrent of democratic society ringing through the story puts emphasis on Tolstoy's comparatively liberal, democratic values in a Russia that does not maintain such values.