Dr Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter
Hannibal Lecter is one of those characters in fiction who is undoubtably so evil that the depths of their madness cannot be adequately conveyed on a page, but who, conversely, is so fascinating, erudite and charming that we, the readers, become almost as taken with him as we are with the protagonist, Clarice Starling. Dr Lecter is nicknamed "Hannibal the Cannibal" because of his tendency to cook up and eat his victims after murdering them. This nickname both reminds us of his psychotic nature but also takes a well-aimed jab at the media's tendency to bestow amusing and rhyming nicknames on serial killers which can often minimum even the brutality of their crimes. Lecter is a genius and therefore impossible to study as he is far more intelligent and wily than the doctors interviewing him. He considers himself brilliant but in him this trait is not at all obnoxious primarily because he is, in an evil way, brilliant. Lecter is a game player, a manipulative schemer who cannot just point Clarice in the direction of Buffalo Bill; he has to turn every conversation into a quid pro quo. He also seems to have some level of intellectual snobbery; he will help Clarice not only because he might get some benefit from it but because he considers her an intellectual near-equal and therefore worthy of his observations and assistance. He despises his other doctors, particularly Dr Chilton, for their lack of intelligence. For a killer he is remarkably protective of Clarice and is respectful of her, and of women in general. He is a man of contradictions; charming, witty, entertaining and thoroughly pleasant to be around, but with a brutal, amoral and psychopathic drive that makes him a prolific murderer.
Clarice Starling
Although never stated, Clarice seems to be the kind of person whose school report might have said "does not play well with others" because she is very intense and seems to have trouble taking others with a pinch of salt or with any humor. She is a high flyer who is brilliant and hard working, and also attractive, which makes working at the FBI almost impossible in terms of the way her male counterparts treat her. There are occasions on the book when the way in which she is seen by the most deviant sexual sadist in prison and the way in which she is seen by the prison psychiatrist is almost identical and so for her to be able to excel in this world is a testament to her determination and strength of character. She is a team person but can also go rogue if she thinks she will be held back or prevented from doing her job. She is bold in her dealings with Dr Lecter and gambles a great deal on his need to control their meetings. We are never sure whether she was tricked into sharing her past history with him or whether she planned it all along and actually played the doctor rather than the other way around. Clarice is a great role model for women and for other agents.
Buffalo Bill
Another serial killer whose deviance is minimized by a catchy nickname, he warned this one by skinning his victims. Whether they were skinned alive or after death is never stipulated. Bill does not have the social skills or intelligence to make himself fascinating in the manner of Dr Lecter and is not particularly well developed as a character outside if his murderous activity. We assume him to be a male but it is never stated. We also assume him to be a transgender female since the wearing of women's clothing no longer satisfies him and he is kidnapping and killing women with the purpose of making himself a "woman suit" out of their skin. He is disgustingly well-planned in this going so far as to have his victims moisturizer thoroughly in order to keep their skin supple for his needlework.
Jack Crawford
Crawford is Starling's boss and the head of the Behavioral Sciences Unit at Quantico. He is much like all FBI agents portrayed in fiction - stiff, humorless and gray - but he is also bold, determined and not swayed by outside influences. He picked Starling because she is good. Not because she is a woman - he has no agenda and is not interested in proving how female-friendly his department is. He is not anti-women either as he is one of the few people who treats Clarice as an agent and not as a female agent. He can be overly cautious and a micro-manager but he is essentially a good guy and is the person responsible for mentoring Clarice and bringing her in board his team.
Dr Chilton
Dr Chilton has one thing in common with Dr Lecter - he considers himself a genius. Unlikely Dr Lecter he is not a genius and. It even above average in his field. This presents him with a problem and gives him both an attitude and an agenda. He shows himself to view women in the same way his deviant prisoners do. It is likely that he chose this job because he feels able to converse freely with the prisoners in his care. He is also very ambitious and his ambition is prioritized over the safety of Buffalo Bill's current and future victims. This is clear when Clarice offers Lecter a fake transfer in order to find out Buffalo Bill's identity before he kills his current victim. Dr Chilton is having none of it; if Dr Lecter is to be played, he will be the player. His need to be the one who gets the information overrides his interest in the information itself. Dr Lecter despises him which is why he is his first intended victim after his escape.
Catherine Martin
Catherine is the daughter of Senator Martin and initially it's believed her family is the reason for her kidnapping. This is not the case and her physical appearance is the main reason for Buffalo Bill's attraction to her as a victim. She is. It a passive victim and constantly pleads for her life. She is rescued in the nick of time by Starling and is Buffalo Bill's only surviving victim.
