Hannibal Lecter Essay

Hannibal Lecter, a character created by Thomas Harris, is commonly known for his psychopathic and cannibalistic tendencies, and keenly recognized for being a prolific serial killer. However, a major aspect of his characterization is his profession as a renowned psychiatrist which prompts the FBI to seek his assistance even behind bars. While this element of his portrayal may not appear to be greatly significant, the constant misrepresentation of psychiatrists, psychologists, and counselors can subconsciously deter those who need assistance from seeking help, making it just as dangerous as misrepresenting mental illness. For the purpose of this paper, I will refer to Hannibal Lecter’s story according to the films “Hannibal Rising,” “Red Dragon,” “Silence of the Lambs,” and the series, “Hannibal.” At the core of Hannibal’s condition is the death of his parents and murder of his younger sister, Mischa, which he witnessed when he was eight years old. The murderers also consumed the young girl and forced Hannibal to partake in her consumption. He did not speak for the five years following his sister’s murder, did not follow his orphanage’s rules, and suffered from recurrent

In the BBC series named after the character, Hannibal encourages his patients to act upon their desires and exploits their fears and secrets in acts of self-empowerment and control. He makes therapists seem controlling and untrustworthy, certainly not like safe outlets to confide in. Therapy is presented not as an opportunity for improvement, but as an increased likelihood of worsening. This is particularly dangerous at this day and age where mental illness is seen as a sign of imbalance and impulsivity and mental health resources such as therapy are seen as indicators of “craziness” in a