Faith and Devotion Theme Analysis

From the beginning of the story to the end, Aksyonov undergoes a dramatic development from a good-natured but casually sinful man concentrated largely on materialistic pursuits to a true “Man of God” (as his fellow inmates call him) absorbed almost exclusively in spirituality and the pursuit of salvation. Tolstoy very clearly establishes Aksyonov as a spiritual exemplar (or icon) by tracking the ways in which Aksyonov’s persecution and suffering lead him to atone for his sins, recognize the absolute authority of God, and pursue a strictly religious life. 

At the outset of the story Tolstoy provides a description of Aksyonov’s personality and lifestyle in Vladimir, Aksyonov’s hometown, that associates Aksyonov with immaturity, materialism (as opposed to spirituality), indulgence, and occasional sin. Perhaps the primary marker of Aksyonov’s indulgence and sin is his drinking. As a young man, Aksyonov “drank a great deal and when he was tipsy he would go on the rampage. But after he married he gave up drinking and there were only occasional lapses.” That these occasional lapses are presented here in a positive light suggests that Aksyonov held himself to a relatively low standard of behavior. Aksyonov does not seem to care at all about the consequences of his indulgence: when his wife predicts his downfall during the trip to Nizhny by telling him that she has had a nightmare, “Aksyonov laughs and retorted: ‘You’re really scared that I might start drinking at the Fair, aren’t you?’” In sharp contrast to the attitude he acquires over the course of his imprisonment in Siberia—that he deserves to be punished and must pay dearly for his sins—Aksyonov here views his sinful behavior as trivial and innocent enough.

Aksyonov’s initial worldliness is also captured in his materialistic career as a merchant, symbolized by his journey to the “Fair at Nizhny,” the commercial center of Russia. Aksyonov has clearly concentrated on socioeconomic success and on acquiring property: “He owned two shops and a house,” and Makar Semyonov (who is also from Vladimir) tells Aksyonov in Siberia that he has heard of Aksyonov’s family as “well-to-do people.” Additionally, when Aksyonov shares his goals for the Nizhny Fair with his wife, he says: “I’ll do some good business there, make a nice little profit and then I can bring you back some expensive presents!” With this, Aksyonov speaks not simply of making ends meet, but of acquiring luxuries and excess.

Unlike his lifestyle in Vladimir, Aksyonov emerges as an ideal man of faith during his time in Siberia, concentrating intensely on devotional practices. His fundamental change of character and of purpose offers to the main didactic (or instructive) example of the parable; Tolstoy intends readers to see Aksyonov as a model to emulate. That Aksyonov’s priorities have changed is evident in the detail that “in prison Aksyonov learnt how to make boots and with the money he earned he bought a Saints’ Calendar and read it whenever he had enough light.” It is significant that Aksyonov spends his money on this religious literature—an important tool for edification and prayer. Whereas before Aksyonov spent his earnings as a merchant on shops and luxuries, now he puts it towards his faith. By the end of the story “all he [Aksyonov] thought of was his last hour…” This sweeping statement leaves no doubt that by the time of his death Aksyonov had fully detached himself from social bonds and from worldly concerns and turned his attention towards preparing his soul for the Christian afterlife.

Importantly for the didactic purpose of the story, Aksyonov’s transformation from worldly and sinful to spiritual and moral is far from linear; he experiences difficult lapses and tests of faith along the way, and he ultimately proves his devotion. When Aksyonov meets Makar Semyonov, the man he suspects framed him for murder, he experiences the negative emotions of rage and a desire for revenge: “He could have attacked him [Makar] on the spot, and taken his revenge. All night long he recited prayers, but it did not calm him down.” Aksyonov even considers suicide, a terrible sin in the context of his Christian faith. However, Aksyonov passes this religious trial, deciding to leave Makar’s judgment in the hands of God: upon assuring Makar, “God will forgive you […] suddenly his [Aksyonov’s] heart became lighter.” It is at this moment that Aksyonov truly jettisons all worldly concerns and envisions “his last hour”—that is, his passage to heaven and the promise of salvation.

In its emphasis on Aksyonov’s development from a sinful merchant in Vladimir to a mature, model “Man of God” after 26 trying years in Siberia, the story can also be seen as borrowing from hagiography, the body of literature in which saints’ lives (and exceptional devotional acts) are retold for religious edification. Hagiography circulated widely in the Russian church and followed closely behind the Gospels in use and influence. Moreover, like “God Sees the Truth, But Waits,” hagiographies tended to emphasize saints’ development into models of devotion, often through episodes of persecution that served as tests of faith. In fact, Tolstoy invokes the importance of hagiography by noting that Aksyonov “bought a Saints’ Calendar” in jail; a saint’s calendar generally contains a collection of hagiographies meant to be read on saints’ feast days. Tolstoy may be referring specifically to a collection of hagiographies compiled by the Muscovite Metropolitan Makary, who lived in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Even though Aksyonov rejects the legitimacy of the state institutions that jailed him, he tells others that the reason he is suffering in Siberia is “to pay for my sins,” rather than, say, due to a wrongful conviction. In other words, Aksyonov comes to acknowledge that his incarceration is in fact legitimate when viewed through a spiritual lens. With this, Aksyonov conceptualizes his tribulations as a test of faith that gives him an opportunity to achieve salvation by reforming his character and devoting his life to God.