Renfield
English Lit: OCR A Level Dracula, topic 4.4.2
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'
- 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 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.
Test yourself on Renfield
Which description is used of Renfield?
Where does Renfield live?