4.4.2
Renfield
Renfield
Renfield
An inmate of Seward’s asylum who has an unexplained connection to Dracula, providing the narrative strand that enables the Count to gain access to Mina Harker.
'Real-life vampire'
'Real-life vampire'
- Renfield is perhaps as close to a ‘real-life vampire' as is humanly possible, accentuating both the human aspects of Count Dracula’s character and the capacity for human beings to be truly monstrous.
- His diagnosis as a “zoophagous (life-eating) maniac” links monstrosity and madness - a common narrative element in Gothic literature.
Renfield's injuries
Renfield's injuries
- Renfield’s injuries at the hands of Dracula are depicted in a typically gruesome manner, in the style of Gothic ‘horror’.
- His face is “horribly bruised” and - excruciatingly - his back is broken, leaving him paralysed.
- The attendant is at a loss to explain how both could possibly have happened, again reflecting the supernatural abilities of the Count.
1Context - Gothic Literature
1.1Origins & Conventions of Gothic Literature
1.2Vampires in Gothic Literature
1.3'Terror' & 'Horror'
1.4Narrative Features
2Context - The Victorian Era
2.1The Victorian Era
3Chapter Summaries & Analyses
4Character Profiles
4.1Archetypal Gothic Characters
4.2Count Dracula
4.3Other Main Characters
4.4Minor Characters
5Key Ideas
6Writing Techniques
7Critical Debates & Interpretations
7.1Initial Reception of Dracula
7.2Modern Reception of Dracula
Jump to other topics
1Context - Gothic Literature
1.1Origins & Conventions of Gothic Literature
1.2Vampires in Gothic Literature
1.3'Terror' & 'Horror'
1.4Narrative Features
2Context - The Victorian Era
2.1The Victorian Era
3Chapter Summaries & Analyses
4Character Profiles
4.1Archetypal Gothic Characters
4.2Count Dracula
4.3Other Main Characters
4.4Minor Characters
5Key Ideas
6Writing Techniques
7Critical Debates & Interpretations
7.1Initial Reception of Dracula
7.2Modern Reception of Dracula
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