What is Renfield diagnosed with in Dracula?

Characterization. R.M. Renfield was a resident patient in Dr. John (Jack in some cases) Seward’s asylum and is the only named patient in the novel. He was diagnosed a “zoophagous maniac” or carnivorous madman, ingesting insects and spiders, believing their life-force would prolong his years.

What is the point of Renfield?

Renfield, still at least partly human, wants, despite his hunger for blood and life, to protect Mina from Dracula, though at the end gives in, and — in his one and only genuine importance to the plot of Dracula — lets the Count into the asylum where Mina is staying.

What is the background of Dracula?

To create his immortal antihero, Count Dracula, Stoker certainly drew on popular Central European folktales about the nosferatu (“undead”), but he also seems to have been inspired by historical accounts of the 15th-century Romanian prince Vlad Tepes, or Vlad the Impaler.

What did Dracula promise Renfield?

Renfield, between gasps, tells the two that Dracula appeared outside his window and promised Renfield an “infinite” amount of red blood in the form of rats, bats, flies, moths, and other forms of life—Renfield was so excited by this prospect that he bowed down to worship Dracula forever, and in doing so, invited …

Why did Dracula want Renfield?

Renfield is an inmate at the lunatic asylum overseen by Dr. John Seward. He suffers from delusions which compel him to eat living creatures in the hope of obtaining their life-force for himself. Later Renfield’s own testimony reveals that Dracula would send him insects, which he begins consuming.

Does Renfield become vampire?

Renfield then takes over the security system. With control over the entire house, Renfield holds his master to ransom, finally forcing the Count to bite him. Renfield then turns into a vampire.

What was wrong with Renfield?

Is Renfield good or bad?

Just like the in-between of horror and terror, the grey, Renfield is an example of the abject. He is both good and evil. One of the displays of Renfield’s possible evil is his strange habit of eating the insects in his room.

Why does Van Helsing want Mina?

Why does Van Helsing want Mina to visit after Lucy’s death? He wants to have more insight of what happened to Lucy and according to Lucy’s letters, Mina was with Lucy before her illness started.

Why does Dracula make Mina drink his blood?

In Lucy’s case, Dracula is successful in “stealing” her from her betrothed, Arthur, by feeding on her repeatedly until she dies and is reborn as a vampire. Dracula forces Mina to drink blood from his breast, thus solidifying his influence over her and positioning himself as a sexual competitor against Jonathan Harker.

What kind of character is Renfield in Dracula?

Renfield, a patient in the asylum where Dr. Seward works, is a difficult character to get our heads around, simply because of his abnormal psychology. He’s described as a “lunatic” and a “madman,” but there’s definitely a method to his madness.

Who are the main characters in Dracula by Bram Stoker?

Everything you need for every book you read. An insane man kept in Seward’s institution, Renfield has a desire to gain the “life-force” of flies, spiders, birds, and cats, and later has a desire for blood —he promises to be Dracula’s student, and is eventually killed by Dracula, once Renfield invites the Count into the asylum.

Why does Renfield want to go back to the asylum?

Renfield often escapes the asylum to meet with Dracula, and then willingly agrees to go back. Renfield eventually allows Dracula to enter the asylum, but regrets this decision when he learns that Dracula wants to harm Mina.

Who is the count in the book Dracula?

The Count goes on to attack Mina there. The Dracula quotes below are all either spoken by Renfield or refer to Renfield. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one: ).