To the idea of one’s limit towards “reason and deductive logic.” Dr. Seward’s observations of his patient Renfield is an example of how maybe both reason and deductive logic might be somewhat useless. We see that in chapter 5 he begins his research on him and learns that he has a “desire” for consumption and how it strengthens him. Of course, Dr. Seward sees this in a logical sense and classifies him as a “zoophagous.” But later we see that this changes when all of a sudden Renfield is trying to escape because something is calling for him. He becomes aggressive and is in a hurry to leave. He escapes and runs to Carfax to where Dracula’s new home is currently. This sort of behavior is quite interesting because these signs could only mean some sort of madness. Finally, we see that in Chapter 9 when Lucy is in fact in trouble of her health. Dr. Seward turns his attention to this situation and postpones his research on Renfield. Not understanding Renfield with his reasoning, it becomes infuriating on why his methods won’t be as useful to him. This is why I believe Stoker is trying to say in the world of Supernatural, there is a limit on what one can possibly try to understand with logic and reasoning. His studies on Renfield, in the beginning, he knew he might become dangerous because he’s careless, he understood that he wanted to become stronger by taking the life out of a living creature. And finally, when he started to follow what was calling him I think he kind of lost hope of understanding Renfield because he was just a crazy power-hungry individual. So in a sense, there isn’t enough understanding with logic and reasoning in the world of supernatural.
We see that Renfield is obviously not in his full senses. He escapes and then talks as if he’s talking to a master. We all know there’s only one person he could be praising and thats Count Dracula. “Just before the stroke of noon he began to grow restless. The attendant knew the symptoms, and at once summoned aid. Fortunately the men came at a run, and were just in time, for at the stroke of noon he became so violent that it took all their strength to hold him”. I feel as if the timing is symbolic to something greater and could go hand in hand with Dracula.
It is true that Renfield is misunderstood. Dr Seward probably shifted his focus to Lucy instead of focusing on debunking Renfield because he could still be in love with her. John Seward was one of the three men that proposed to her. Focusing on helping Renfield could help him in the future.
Renfield sure is a one of a kind character. The fact that Renfield eats his prey while they’re alive already raises concerns about him. It reminds me of Dracula, as both the characters eat/suck the life force out of other living things. As you mentioned, Renfield claimed something was calling for him. Could that possibly mean he is under the control of a superior being or is he just mentally unstable? We don’t have that much understanding about Renfield, which makes him sometimes unpredictable and supernatural.