Hannibal Lecter: The Beloved Serial Killer of Our Generation

There is something about serial killers that seems to just draw people in, forming a deep sense of curiosity and intrigue. These villains, murderers, and in this instance, cannibals are recognized as unique people because they have done something the average person cannot achieve... They found a way to tap into their id and completely disregard the norms of society. Through this unusual achievement, us normal people flock to them and feed off of their rebellious acts. This behavior is known as abjection, and it is the sole reason as to why movies and books about murderers and cannibals are accepted in our society.

Hannibal Lecter, a fictional character that was created from the mind of a crime novelist named Thomas Harris, has become one of the most well known serial killers of our generation and possibly of all time, but why? Is it because Hannibal is witty and to some degree a genius? Or is it because of his dark, humorous, and oddly pleasant personality? In no way am I defending the lifestyle of serial killers here, but I am really just laying out the truth that everyone doesn't want to admit, which is that we all love a brilliantly charismatic murderer.

(Hannibal Lecter's humorous retelling of a human meal)

People love Hannibal Lecter due to a handful of reasons, the most important being his character traits. Peaceful, polite, and very much likable on the outside, but dig deeper to the inner most part of Hannibal is his id. This is where Hannibal is violent and dark and the real location of the mastermind murderer. I believe that Hannibal's intelligence is what makes him so captivating because it is a type of brilliance that cannot be compared to any other being's. The next reason people love Hannibal is because unlike most serial killers, Hannibal is NOT a sociopath. After being tested through and through by institutions and hospitals, he was considered to not have any psychological problems. What makes his mental condition even more intriguing is when he gives himself a personal diagnosis stating that he has no abnormal behavior issues but the real problem is that he is simply just 'evil'. What I always found so clever is that Hannibal always made his actions seem moral, offering justification for every instance in which he would kill someone, leaving the viewer to decide whether his actions were right or wrong. Finding out that Hannibal's psyche was affected by his past, mainly due to the terrorizing acts performed by the Nazi's on his family puts a nice twist on his mental condition as well. Another interesting reason as to why Hannibal is such a revered serial killer throughout our generation is due to his love for fine things. As noted in the movie and novels, Hannibal has a liking for classical music, ancient literature, fine arts, and elegant dining and drink. This sort of lifestyle is the type that most people in our culture salivate over.

(Hannibal Lecter's escape scene... Notice he is listening to Classical Music!)

My last reason is due to what I had previously stated, abjection. Our society is so intrigued by the grotesque, the strange, and the extraordinary that we grow to love it. Cannibalism is something that does not really exist in our real-life world anymore, therefore when it is put into film everyone goes crazy. Mix this gruesome eating habit with the complex character being Hannibal Lecter and you have yourself the most intriguing and well-known fictional serial killer of our generation.


Serial killers will always be frowned upon in our society, and therefore will never be accepted, but when it comes to fictional serial killers, thats a whole different ballgame. People will forever love the antihero that makes you question the good from the bad or the bad from the evil. Hannibal is extremely evil, and does 'bad' things, but he is balanced out by his intricate personality and willingness to 'help' in some ways, allowing for the viewer to perceive him as a 'good' killer. And it is this uncanny trait that truly makes Hannibal Lecter the most compelling serial killer character of our generation...