Seward is the administrator of an insane asylum not far from Count Dracula's first English home, Carfax.

Throughout the novel, Seward conducts ambitious interviews with one of his patients, R. M. Renfield, in order to understand better the nature of life-consuming psychosis, or as he calls it, zoophagy.

One of the main contributions made by Dr. Seward is his recordings of the events depicted from his personal perspective as a doctor; allowing the reader to gain a scientific understanding of the behaviour of vampirism through his behavioural analysis of Renfield.

Although Lucy turns down Seward's marriage proposal, his love for her remains, and he dedicates himself to her care when she is suddenly taken ill.

Seward often appears in different screen adaptations of Dracula but in a wide variety of different roles.