Carmilla

by

Sheridan Le Fanu

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on Carmilla makes teaching easy.

General Spielsdorf Character Analysis

Bertha Reinfeldt’s devoted uncle and guardian, and a friend of Laura’s father. Though General Spielsdorf once refused to believe in the supernatural and relied wholly on scientific and rational explanation to understand the world, his niece’s illness and subsequent death was diagnosed by a physician as being due to a vampire bite. In his devastation over Bertha’s death at the hands of Carmilla, General Spielsdorf abandons his skepticism of vampires and the supernatural, devoting himself to defeating the monster that killed his beloved niece. General Spielsdorf comes to Laura’s house to convince her father of Carmilla’s true identity, and the three of them travel to Carmilla’s family tomb to see evidence that Carmilla is undead. He aids Laura’s father and enlists the help of Baron Vordenburg to locate Carmilla’s tomb and drive a stake through her heart, successfully enacting his revenge.

General Spielsdorf Quotes in Carmilla

The Carmilla quotes below are all either spoken by General Spielsdorf or refer to General Spielsdorf. 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:
Women and Sexuality Theme Icon
).
Chapter 2  Quotes

“Before then I had no idea of her danger. I have lost her, and now learn all, too late. She died in the peace of innocence, and in the glorious hope of a blessed futurity. The fiend who betrayed our infatuated hospitality has done it all. I thought I was receiving into my house gaiety, a charming companion for my lost Bertha. Heavens! what a fool have I been!”

Related Characters: General Spielsdorf (speaker), Bertha Rheinfeldt
Page Number: 14
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 10 Quotes

“Because,” he answered testily, “you believe in nothing but what consists with your own prejudices and illusions. I remember when I was like you, but I have learned better.”

Related Characters: General Spielsdorf (speaker), Laura’s Father
Page Number: 73
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 12 Quotes

“At another time I should have told her to wait a little, until, at least, we knew who they were. But I had not a moment to think in. The two ladies assailed me together, and I must confess the refined and beautiful face of the young lady, about which there was something extremely engaging, as well as the elegance and fire of high birth, determined me; and, quite over-powered, I submitted, and undertook, too easily, the care of the young lady, whom her mother called Millarca.”

Related Characters: General Spielsdorf (speaker), Carmilla, Bertha Rheinfeldt, Carmilla’s Mother
Page Number: 82
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Carmilla LitChart as a printable PDF.
Carmilla PDF

General Spielsdorf Quotes in Carmilla

The Carmilla quotes below are all either spoken by General Spielsdorf or refer to General Spielsdorf. 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:
Women and Sexuality Theme Icon
).
Chapter 2  Quotes

“Before then I had no idea of her danger. I have lost her, and now learn all, too late. She died in the peace of innocence, and in the glorious hope of a blessed futurity. The fiend who betrayed our infatuated hospitality has done it all. I thought I was receiving into my house gaiety, a charming companion for my lost Bertha. Heavens! what a fool have I been!”

Related Characters: General Spielsdorf (speaker), Bertha Rheinfeldt
Page Number: 14
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 10 Quotes

“Because,” he answered testily, “you believe in nothing but what consists with your own prejudices and illusions. I remember when I was like you, but I have learned better.”

Related Characters: General Spielsdorf (speaker), Laura’s Father
Page Number: 73
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 12 Quotes

“At another time I should have told her to wait a little, until, at least, we knew who they were. But I had not a moment to think in. The two ladies assailed me together, and I must confess the refined and beautiful face of the young lady, about which there was something extremely engaging, as well as the elegance and fire of high birth, determined me; and, quite over-powered, I submitted, and undertook, too easily, the care of the young lady, whom her mother called Millarca.”

Related Characters: General Spielsdorf (speaker), Carmilla, Bertha Rheinfeldt, Carmilla’s Mother
Page Number: 82
Explanation and Analysis: