Appearance
Anyone who's seen or read an adaptation of the Phantom knows that Erik
is hideously deformed. With a body like a decomposing corpse, people
can't bear to look at his face and are frightened by his appearance.
Dr Lecter however is an average man, except for a few things you don't
really notice when you don't look closer. However, even Lecter had a
deformity, his sixth finger. It makes him a little less human, just
like
Erik's skull face makes him (feel) inhuman. but there are similarities.
Both their eyes light up in certain instances. Red pinpoints in
Lecter's
maroon eyes, golden sparks in Erik's case. No "normal" human has light
reflecting eyes.
Their stature is not overly tall, but it looks a whole lot bigger
because of the size of their mind. Both lean and agile, and posessors
of
inhuman strength.
If the situation permits it, they both dress in the finest clothing,
though Erik's wardrobe is a lot smaller, considering he doesn't go out
as often.
I don't know if Lecter can sing, but his metallic voice and knowledge
of
several other languages match Erik's voice.
Mind
It's obvious both have extraordinary talents. Erik in architecture,
music and magic, Lecter has an inmeasurable intellect and an exquisite
insight in the human mind and body. They can mesmerize people without a
lot of trouble.
Character
Both Erik and Lecter are peculiar men. Lecter is called a monster by
scientists, as they cannot measure his intellect. He seems to stand
outside or above humanity. I wonder if the scene where he shoots and
butchers the deer hunter in the same way as the man did to the deer
shows how Lecter sees regular humans. As animals, lower or different
life forms he does not have to feel remorse for killing them, like the
deer hunter does not feel remorse for killing the deer. He prefers to
kill the rude people, the ones that offend him.
Erik has placed himself outside humanity because people refuse to treat
him as a human being. The laws of humans do not apply to him and he
kills without remorse. At the court of the Shah of Persia he is locked
with a convicted criminal in an arena. The criminal is armed with a
sword while Erik only has a noose. Also, he kills several people later
on in the actual story because they know too much or meddle in his
plans. He is even prepared to kill his love if she'd not chose for him.
Lecter was planning on killing Clarice to make space for Mischa.
History
They share a troubled youth. Lecter lost his dear sister in the war,
Erik was kept in a cage as an animal and was exhibited as the living
corpse. There is little known of either from there till where the books
catch on. That what is known, however, defines most of their behaviour.
Acts
A returning theme in the books is the love of both men for the female
antagonist. Those women do not love and even hate them at first.
Clarice
tries to get Lecter behind bars, Christine is afraid of Erik and wants
to be with her Raoul. They both learn of the women's existence when
they
come to the place the men are captured. Even though Erik is free to
leave his "cell" in the depths of the Opera house, he is bound by the
loathing of the people in the world. Lecter of course sees her first
when he is in his cell in Baltimore. With tricky games they get under
the women's skin. Erik pretends to be the Angel of Music and wins her
trust and love initially with this act. Lecter enters Clarice's mind
and
won't leave her anymore. Clarice and Christine are involuntarily drawn
towards these frightening but fascinating men.
Erik kidnaps Christine and brings her to his lair. He wants her to love
him and tries to accomplish that by intoxicating her with music and
fear. Lecter takes Clarice to his residence and drugs her in much the
same way and for much the same reason. They want them to love them by
changing the women, not changing themselves. I think they need the
women
to feel human again. Someone to share their world with. Lecter and
Clarice explore culture together. Erik wants a wife to build a house
for, to walk with in the park where everyone can see him, to sing with
and to feel loved and not loathed.
Conclusion
I doubt Harris was inspired or even read the book The phantom of the
Opera. The similarities just occured to me. I find it interesting how
much they are alike, though that probably says more about me than about
Erik and Lecter.