Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History

Content Warning: This section contains references to graphic violence and death.

The prologue explores society’s fascination with cannibalism, both in fiction and reality, beginning with the American Film Institute’s ranking of cinema’s greatest villains. Topping the list is Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a fictional cannibal, followed by Norman Bates, inspired by real-life killer Ed Gein. While Bates was not a cannibal, Gein, “a real-life murderer, grave robber, necrophile, and cannibal” (xii) from Wisconsin, was. His crimes, including grave-robbing, necrophilia, and using human remains for household items, shocked the world in 1957. The macabre nature of his actions inspired Robert Bloch’s novel Psycho, which Alfred Hitchcock adapted into a film. Schutt claims that society is both repulsed and fascinated by cannibalism. Real-life cases elevate cannibalistic murderers to “mythical status” (xv).

While Western culture condemns cannibalism, accusations of cannibalism were used as a justification for conquest and oppression, particularly by European colonizers who labeled Indigenous peoples as savages. The Spanish, for example, used cannibalism as an excuse to enslave and exploit native populations. Historical evidence suggests that ritual cannibalism existed in many societies, often tied to funerary rites or warfare. Anthropologists remain divided on its prevalence, with some arguing it was rare, while others believe it was common throughout human history.