Does anyone know what drove Hannibal to insanity? I haven't read "Red Dragon" and I was wondering if it was explained int that novel. Any answers would be very much appreciated.
Thankyou.

Whoever said that Hannibal Lecter was insane?
I think one of the interpretations is that Lecter is completeley sane in what he does. He is not insane. He has no quandries on what is right or wrong. He is aware. He has an extended awareness. Hannibal Lecter is not insane. You cannot judge him insane by what he does. I'd like to elaborate but I haven't got the time. I've have in the past read a lot about the character of Lecter...I am tired as I write this. I shall post more in the immediate future. What we perceive as insanity or sanity is a very subjective issue.....be seeing you....

yes, I have read the book and made a quiz on it....he watched his little sister Mischa, taken out from the barn, where all the little children were being held, and then hacked apart and cooked by the Red Army, during WW2...I believe that was the key point of the book, Hannibal was trying out some mathematical formulas- of reversing time....to save his sister ....

Thank you both for that information, it's really good of you.

In his mind he is perfectly sane, He is a level 3 sociopath (the most dangerous). They think the rest of the world is out of control.

level 1: Is your used car salesman, pathological liar whose whole life is a lie that even he believes.

level 2: these are your child molesters, rapists, etc. that have little regard or have a deep disdain or an abnormal obsession for a certain group but do not generally murder.

level 3: Hannibal Lecter, Jeffery Dahmer, Child/molesters-killers, serial killers, Adolph Hitler types.

Hope that helps.

[ 05-02-2001: Message edited by: malizma ]

I've read Red Dragon as part of the Thomas Harris series. It is about a totally different serial killer all-together called Francis Dollarhyde. Hannibal Lector is already caught in this one as well and aids in the search for Dollarhyde. There isn't a book that tells the story of how they caught Lector, you just have to glean bits and pieces from the three books of the series.

The only added info from Red Dragon is the detective tracking Dollarhyde is the same person who caught Lector. That's about the only additional info.

Clarice isn't even thought of in this book...

P.S. I was very upset that the movie Hannibal did not end like the book. I think it would have given it a more creepy feel...

You know- in red dragon- it does tell how he was caught....it is encoded...

I know that it feeds you bits and pieces of his capture as the detective remembers. I was meaning that there wasn't a book dedicated to Hannibal Lector's capture. Kind of like how Red Dragon details Dollarhyde's capture and Silence of the Lambs details Buffalo Bill's capture...of course, Hannibal details tracking (but not catching...LOL) Hannibal Lector...but it's not the first time...