Hannibal Lector is for me, a definite anti-hero. He represents the banal human condition, that he kills and eats those who "deserve it," as though he is doing humanity a favor. It is like he relishes the thought of being so misunderstood, that the rest of the human race couldn't possibly understand his actions for the good he sees himself doing.

And then there is Clarice. She is "good" at first glance, a real heroine. But she is misunderstood, broken. Hannibal sees Her true potential hindered by her own ego. She is repelled by hannibal because he represents what is considered evil and taboo by society, the opposite of the order and safety she knew from her late father. The one thing about Dr. Lector, was that he always hated egomaniacs, though he was one himself. Clarice was the one person who, I think, saw through this.

I always thought that Hannibal drawing out the most banal and carnal urges in Clarice, however horrific and manipulative his actions were, were meant to be for her character.