R. M. Renfield

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Character
Name: R. M. Renfield
Occupation:
Relationships: Count Dracula Jack Seward -- doctor
Fandom: Dracula
Other:
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R. M. Renfield (usually referred to as just Renfield by the fandom) is a character that originated in Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula and since then has appeared in many Dracula movies, books, comics and even video games.

During the Dracula Daily influenced resurgence of the novel on Tumblr in 2022, interest in Renfield was renewed. The largest Renfield-centric fandom is for the movie Renfield released in 2023. Dracula Daily crowd expressed some interest in the movie,[1] though as usual there were criticisms for deviations from the novel depiction (even though the movie is based on the 1931 adaptation, not the book) and possible ableism in portrayals of both Renfield and Dracula.

Canon

In the Stoker's book, R.M. Renfield (no first name given) is an elderly patient in doctor Seward's mental asylum and the subject of Seward's medical interest. Renfield has a belief that eating insects and small animals can prolong his life. He forms an unexplained mental connection with Dracula, whom he worships like a deity, but at the end turns against him after Dracula starts preying on Mina.

Renfield's character played an important role in establishing the archetype of the vampire familiar. Because of it, it's not uncommon to portray him as Dracula's servant and companion, especially outside of the book adaptations, while in the novel he spends most of the time in his cell. Another trope is making him younger, which is probably influenced by the 1931 movie.

Renfield is one of the most famous Dracula characters in the popular culture, surpassed only by Van Helsing and Dracula.

Fandom

  • memes about what Renfield will eat next (TODO find links)
  • meta about Victorian treatment and understanding of mental illness (TODO find links)

The most popular depictions of Renfield in the fandom are Holt's portrayal in Renfield 2023, Frye's portrayal in Dracula 1931 and the book character himself.

Fanworks

Fanfic

Book Renfield-centric fanfics are often AUs that have him survive the events of the novel. In them, he may be released from the asylum or not.

Some Renfield-centric works are set pre-canon and explore the events that lead to his institutionalization. Renfield may be shown as already mentally ill or have his mental illness caused by Dracula or something else.

Fics set during the novel often focus on Renfield's relationships with other characters, particularly Seward, Mina or Jonathan. They portray Seward's unethical treatment of him and Renfield's reactions to his abuse, Mina's compassion towards Renfield turning him against Dracula, or Renfield recognizing Jonathan as a fellow abuse victim. Some fics have characters open Renfield's eys to Dracula's crimes.

Fanworks exploring Renfield's connection to Dracula and his worship of him are surprisingly rare. Some stories are set outside of the asylum and portray him as Dracula's servant and vampire familiar.

The book Renfield is rarely shown in romantic or sexual relationships. If he's shipped with someone, it's usually with Dracula or Seward, though both pairings are often frowned upon as toxic and abusive. A small number of fanworks pairs him with other characters, such as Jonathan, Mina, Van Helsing or Arthur's father (whom he knew in the novel).

Fanart

Meta

TODO

Links and Resources

Resources

References

  1. ^ example tumblr post
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