Hannibal analysis - part 9: The metaphorical meaning of the 'banquet' scene

CATEGORY: MOVIES **Contains spoilers**

I recently found some material in St. Augustine's On the Trinity which sounds like it may have applicability to interpreting the movie. Below I quote from the seventh chapter of Book 12 of the Haddan translation, which is freely available on Wikisource (see link at end of post):

10. But we must notice how that which the apostle [St. Paul] says, that not the woman but the man is the image of God, is not contrary to that which is written in Genesis, “God created man: in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them: and He blessed them.” ...How then did the apostle tell us that the man is the image of God, and therefore he is forbidden to cover his head; but that the woman is not so, and therefore is commanded to cover hers? Unless, forsooth, according to that which I have said already, when I was treating of the nature of the human mind, that the woman together with her own husband is the image of God, so that that whole substance may be one image; but when she is referred separately to her quality of [help-mate], which regards the woman herself alone, then she is not the image of God; but as regards the man alone, he is the image of God as fully and completely as when the woman too is joined with him in one. As we said of the nature of the human mind, that both in the case when as a whole it contemplates the truth it is the image of God; and in the case when anything is divided from it, and diverted in order to the cognition of temporal things; nevertheless on that side on which it beholds and consults truth, here also it is the image of God, but on that side whereby it is directed to the cognition of the lower things, it is not the image of God. And since it is so much the more formed after the image of God, the more it has extended itself to that which is eternal, and is on that account not to be restrained, so as to withhold and refrain itself from thence; therefore the man ought not to cover his head. But because too great a progression towards inferior things is dangerous to that rational cognition that is conversant with things corporeal and temporal; this ought to have power on its head, which the covering indicates, by which it is signified that it ought to be restrained.

Augustine's reference to the practice of men wearing head coverings is reminiscent of the top of Krendler's head being removed in the 'banquet' scene. If we go according to the above passage, then when Krendler's scalp (metaphor for covering) was removed, it seems his mind should have "extended itself to that which is eternal", that is, it seems he should have started contemplating 'higher ideas' or some such thing; whereas he had been talking to Starling in a very crude manner while the top was still attached.*

Also note the mention in the passage of the idea of a woman being a help-mate: recall that Starling was effectively demoted to the position of assistant after her gun was taken away. If we go according to Augustine, then while she is of this status she is not the 'image of God'.


*According to the Bible, a woman's long hair serves as her covering (see 1 Corinthians, chapter 11).

On the Trinity (Haddan translation) on Wikisource