Candles are found throughout every Castlevania game. They can be whipped and hearts, coins,

or sub-weapons will appear. They represent the souls of unfortunate visitors to the Castle which have been trapped there. When the hero puts out there flame, they essentially release the soul to go to the next world. As a "thank you" fo r this, they leave the hero valuable items that they can use on their quest. They fuction mainly as item holders.

There are also other breakable object that function in the same manner:

Lamps

In some titles various lamps will take the place of candles, but their fuction is no different.

Chandeliers

Often found hanging from ceilings, will usually fall to the ground when hit.

Treasure Chests

In some titles one can find breakable treasure chest. They usually release a small fortune in coins, however they been known to sometimes release enemies (like Flea Men & Rippers).

Items

The Candle (sometimes called "Secret Candle") is an items in Vampire Killer that shows the location of breakable bricks, much as Dracula's Eyeball would do in Castlevania II: Simon's Quest.