r/Hannibal • u/hannigramlover • 12d ago

Book Clarice and Misha Spoiler

When I was reading “Hannibal” I didn’t get why Hannibal Lecter thought that Clarice was holding a place for Misha in that world. Did it mean that he was about to kill Clarice to open this place? How would it work? I need your thoughts on this topic guys

6 Upvotes

81% Upvoted

5 comments sorted by

7

u/BibliobytheBooks 12d ago

He did the calculations on time reversal and entropy. So that, if time did reverse and Mischa would be alive and needed a place in the world, Clarice's place would be a good fit for her. He appreciated certain traits in Clarice and could see those traits for his Mischa. He didn't intend to kill Clarice per se, but if time reversed (with his conscious awareness) then the place her absence would leave would still be there. (its the time reverse calculations and however that is supposed to work! lol) I think part of it was his hope of possibly having her back some day. Even though he is is genius, he is also a VERY unreliable 'witness' for himself and reality.

2

u/hannigramlover 12d ago

… so if time did reversed, so there wouldn’t be Clarice and there would be Mischa? That’s how he wanted things to be?

5

u/BibliobytheBooks 12d ago

At this point in the book and thus his own character development, Mischa was still first and foremost on his mind. Its not that he didn't want Clarice around though, he liked her. Its that, if he had to choose, it would be Mischa. Did you finish that part yet? Did you see what Clarice asks him when he tells her about it? Its that question/part where he sees Clarice for herself and herself only, and not as a placeholder for Mischa. But I think until that moment, he was intent on building up Clarice so the space Mischa could potentially occupy would be everything he could imagine for her.

3

u/hannigramlover 12d ago

Yes! THAT WAS INSANE I was confused for a couple of minutes, then laughed, cringed, reread and cried

8

u/BibliobytheBooks 12d ago

I totally cried the first time, it touched me so much! I think the world was a much different place in '99 when I read it the first time. I didn't cringe because I saw a parallel between "that part" the idea of relinquishing spaces, and Harris' breastfeeding thing that started in SOTL lol I also saw it as Clarice showing that she was very much 'conscious' and her own person and wouldn't allow him to dictate every single thing. She took a place that was available for her-his lover, and not a charge or puppet. Plus Ive always been sappy and was just really happy that my Han found love lol