Odissea del rancore. Riflessione di un “antropologo da biblioteca” sull’homo absconditus nel torturatore e nel femminicida

Odyssey of Rancor. Some reflexions of a “library anthropologist” on the homo absconditus in the torturer and in the murder of women This article concerns the psychology of the torturer and of the murder of women. Following the illuminating observa- tions of Emil Cioran and, above all, Fyodor Dostoevsky, I describe the infection of evil by uncovering the homo ab- sconditus present in us all. I describe man as wounded, who immediately seeks revenge by hurting others; due to his growing resentment, he retreats into himself to shed poiso- nous rancor while nourishing vengeful dreams. In this way, the offended responds to offense with hate. In the wonderful Notes from the Underground, the adept reader can trace the perfect description, down to the smallest details, of the un- derlying psyche of the torturer and rapist.