Hannibal Revived: an Aestheticized Portrayal of Hannibal Lecter in NBC’s TV Series Hannibal

Abstract

This article is an analysis of the portrayal of Hannibal Lecter as presented in NBC’s television series. The research focuses on the techniques employed in order to aestheticize, humanize and present the title character in a positive light for the audience to sympathize with him. Apart from the process of aestheticization, the paper also discusses the metamorphosis which Lecter depicted in the show has undergone. The article describes particular aspects of the character’s construction and the tools used to influence the audience’s perception of the cannibal.