History TheSociopath / Literature

* Swedish writer Simona Ahrnstedt has Edvard Löwenström in her debut novel "Överenskommelser". He was a sadist, who enjoyed hurting women for pleasure. He made a deal with a [[CompleteMonster complete monster]] that he would get his cousin, even though he knew that she would suffer. He made a fourteen-year-old girl pregnant, but still abandoned her. When she died after an abortion, he felt no remorse. And when his sister was very sick, he felt no sadness about it. He practically wished that she would die, so his parents would think about something else other than his atrocities. He made sure that his cousin was separated from her love interest, giving her no other choice but to get married to the man, to whom he and his father had promised her. When his cousin had been raped and almost killed on her wedding night, his response was that she only had herself to blame! And he also raped at least one woman off screen. He felt no remorse for anything he did...

* Swedish writer Simona Ahrnstedt has Edvard Löwenström in her debut novel "Överenskommelser". (It's also published in Danish as "Aegtepagten", in German as "Ein ungezähmtes Mädchen" and in Italian as "Ritratto di donna in cremisi".) He was a sadist, who enjoyed hurting women for pleasure. He made a deal with a [[CompleteMonster complete monster]]that he would get his cousin, even though he knew that she would suffer. He made a fourteen-year-old girl pregnant, but still abandoned her. When she died after an abortion, he felt no remorse. And when his sister was very sick, he felt no sadness about it. He practically wished that she would die, so his parents would think about something else other than his atrocities. He made sure that his cousin was separated from her love interest, giving her no other choice but to get married to the man, to whom he and his father had promised her. When his cousin had been raped and almost killed on her wedding night, his response was that she only had herself to blame! And he also raped at least one woman off screen. He felt no remorse for anything he did...

* Kevin Khatchadourian, the eponymous character of ''WeNeedToTalkAboutKevin''. A teenage school shooter and torturer, he has been a monster ever since he was a young child. Kevin has a severe case of APD/sociopathy; his disorder results in him never relating to other people and finding ''everything'' to be dreary, pointless and uninteresting. Every day of his life. By the time he is a teenager, he exists in a constant state of AndIMustScream.

* Swedish writer Simona Ahrnstedt has Edvard Löwenström in her debut novel "Överenskommelser". (It's also published in Danish as "Aegtepagten", in German as "Ein ungezähmtes Mädchen" and in Italian as "Ritratto di donna in cremisi".) He was a sadist, who enjoyed hurting women for pleasure. He made a deal that he would get his cousin, even though he knew that she would suffer. He made a fourteen-year-old girl pregnant, but still abandoned her. When she died after an abortion, he felt no remorse. And when his sister was very sick, he felt no sadness about it. He practically wished that she would die, so his parents would think about something else other than his atrocities. He made sure that his cousin was separated from her love interest, giving her no other choice but to get married to the man, to whom he and his father had promised her. When his cousin had been raped and almost killed on her wedding night, his response was that she only had herself to blame! And he also raped at least one woman off screen. He felt no remorse for anything he did...

* Swedish writer Simona Ahrnstedt has Edvard Löwenström in her debut novel "Överenskommelser". (It's also published in Danish as "Aegtepagten", in German as "Ein ungezähmtes Mädchen" and in Italian as "Ritratto di donna in cremisi".) He was a sadist, who enjoyed hurting women for pleasure. He made a deal with a [[CompleteMonster complete monster]] that he would get his cousin, even though he knew that she would suffer. He made a fourteen-year-old girl pregnant, but still abandoned her. When she died after an abortion, he felt no remorse. And when his sister was very sick, he felt no sadness about it. He practically wished that she would die, so his parents would think about something else other than his atrocities. He made sure that his cousin was separated from her love interest, giving her no other choice but to get married to the man, to whom he and his father had promised her. When his cousin had been raped and almost killed on her wedding night, his response was that she only had herself to blame! And he also raped at least one woman off screen. He felt no remorse for anything he did...

** Little Robert Arryn is portrayed as one in the making... [[spoiler: should he survive Littlefinger, that is.]] [[MyBelovedSmother His mother]] gave him a head start in this one area of human life by making people fly out the Moon Door a fun game for him and indulging every single one of his whims. Currently, a spoiled little {{Narcissist}} too young and mentally underdeveloped to know better (or to be too much of a danger without adult help). But, an interesting portrayal of how to create a little monster, none the less.
*** Robert does, however, have clear emotions, the abilithy to like and empathize with others, and to dislike and fear others. And it's not abundently clear what he thinks going out to moon door actually IS. While he's certainly a SpoiledBrat, he's not to the level of sociopathy that any of the above are.

* Swedish writer Simona Ahrnstedt has Edvard Löwenström in her debut novel "Överenskommelser". (It's also published in Danish as "Aegtepagten", in German as "Ein ungezähmtes Mädchen" and in Italian as "Ritratto di donna in cremisi".) He was a sadist, who enjoyed hurting women for pleasure. He made a deal with a [[Complete Monster complete monster]] that he would get his cousin, even though he knew that she would suffer. He made a fourteen-year-old girl pregnant, but still abandoned her. When she died after an abortion, he felt no remorse. And when his sister was very sick, he felt no sadness about it. He practically wished that she would die, so his parents would think about something else other than his atrocities. He made sure that his cousin was separated from her love interest, giving her no other choice but to get married to the man, to whom he and his father had promised her. When his cousin had been raped and almost killed on her wedding night, his response was that she only had herself to blame! And he also raped at least one woman on screen. He felt no remorse for anything he did...

* As noted in [[Blog/DasSporking Das Mervin's sporking]] of ''[[{{Literature/Twilight}} Twilight]]'', Bella Swan hits every one of the points on Dr. Hare's list of sociopathic traits. She isn't bothered by breaking rules (from disobeying her father's orders on not allowing Edward in the house to illegally riding a motorcycle without a license), resorts to dangerous activities when bored (cliff-diving during a storm without any knowledge about doing so, for instance), considers it "understandable" that Edward had a period of his life where he killed people for their blood, later justifies the fact that the vampires staying with the Cullens are killing countless people in the area, and generally is shown to have no clue why people feel or act the way they do (for instance, her inability to understand why Edward would feel upset about damning her soul via vampirism).

* Though many of the supernatural creatures in ''TheDresdenFiles'' exhibit elements of sociopathy (notably vampires who fully embrace their predatory nature and many of the nastier Winter Court sidhe), the most obvious example is the all-too-human Nicodemus, a man so thoroughly and unapologetically (and yet [[AffablyEvil often politely]]) evil that a ''FallenAngel'' works with him as a ''genuine partner''. Nick's wife Tessa and daughter Deirdre are also candidates.
* Henry Bowers in ''{{IT}}'' by Stephen King is a prime example of a sociopath, as he matures from a schoolyard bully to a murderer. Had he not been institutionalized, he likely would have ended up eventually going on a shooting spree.

** Subverted in book 13 when we find out [[spoiler:he loved Kit Snicket]] and he [[spoiler:he saves her life and is shocked that the Baudelaires would even think that he would hurt their parents.]] Also, he has a Freudian excuse - [[spoiler:it's implied that the Baudelaire parents killed his parents with poison darts.]]

*** Robert does, however, have clear emotions, the abilithy to like and empathize with others, and to dislike and fear others. And it's not abundently clear what he thinks going out to moon door actually IS. While he's certinaly a SpoiledBrat, he's not to the level of sociopathy that any of the above are.

** Bellatrix Lestrange and Barty Crouch Jr aren't far behind Voldemort. Both are unrepentant serial killers and torture tacticians, fanatical racists, mentally unhinged, both having murdered family members of their own (Bella killed her cousin Sirius, while Barty killed his father Barty Crouch Sr) utterly devoted to Voldemort who they seem to revere as a deity and may be their only true "attachment." Case in point, Bellatrix is married but does ''EVERYTHING'' she does for Voldemort, whom she is said to "love." Barty on the other hand, is not stated to have loved either of his parents, completely ignores his mother's sacrifice to get him out of prison and upon re-entering the services of Voldemort, begins torturing, manipulating and killing again. It can even be construed that his tears during his trial were a farce in an attempt to manipulate his dad to not throw him in jail.

** Little Robert Arryn is portrayed as one in the making... [[spoiler: should he survive Littlefinger, that is.]] [[MyBelovedSmother His mother]] gave him a head start in this one area of human life by making people fly out the Moon Door a fun game for him and indulging every single one of his whims. Currently, a cruel little {{Narcissist}} too young to know better (or to be too much of a danger without adult help). But, an interesting portrayal in how to create a little monster, none the less.

** [[TheCaligula King Joffrey]]

** Oh, Roose Bolton is certainly somewhere on the antisocial graph: he's just ''really'' high-functioning and maintaining a death-grip on his social mask. Unlike his son who indulges his impulses at the drop of a hat. He tips more to the sociopathic end of the scale than the psychotic, though. The only time he's been visually disturbed [[spoiler: has been when cracks start showing in those around him and things get heated between the Freys and the Manderlys during the siege.]] That's a direct threat to his personal safety, that is: no wonder he got outright angry and tried to order them to stop being stupid [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness with a raised voice]]. It's been his only real display of emotion in the entire series.

** '''Gregor Clegane'''. Case-in-point: he burned and scarred his little brother's face ''over a toy''. A toy that he had thrown away.

* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' has Jonathan Teatime in ''Discworld/{{Hogfather}}''. According to the book, he "sees things differently from other people, in that he sees other people as things." [[spoiler:He even spent a significant amount of his time theorizing how to kill the various holiday entities of the Disc, like the Hogfather, the Soul Cake Duck, and even DEATH himself]].

** [[{{Yandere}} Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish]] is beginning to show shades of this beneath his AffablyEvil, MagnificentBastard personality, and even more disturbingly, he knows how to feign and manipulate emotions to his advantage.
** And need we mention [[TheCaligula King Joffrey?]]

** Of course, where his father's status may be in question, [[BastardBastard Ramsay Bolton]] is a textbook example, and is in fact a SerialKiller.

* Count Olaf of ''ASeriesOfUnfortunateEvents''. He burns down ''a hospital'' to cover his tracks, kills at least one person per book to further his agenda, seems to view violence as rather entertaining, is extremely narcissistic, has a sense of entitlement to a fortune that isn't his and is able to manipulate and charm [[AdultsAreUseless anyone but the children]]. Oh, and he's perfectly willing to kill children.

* [[spoiler:[[UnreliableNarrator Merricat]]]] from ''Literature/WeHaveAlwaysLivedInTheCastle'' is a textbook example. She [[spoiler:murdered her entire family except her sister Constance (who was the only one who cared about her) and her uncle Julian (who managed to survive) all because she was [[DisproportionateRetribution always sent to her room without supper for misbehaving]]. Also, she did this when she was ''[[TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior twelve]]''.]] That she's a sociopath pretty much fuels the plot of the book and is one of its main themes.

* John Dread of ''{{Otherland}}'' is explicitly described as a sociopath, complete with a psychologist telling the police how he was the scariest person he'd ever attempted to treat, because he could tell that Dread did not see him as a person, but merely an object, to be evaluated on his usefulness and killed without a second thought if he became too inconvenient. Dread is given the FreudianExcuse of a drug-addled prostitute mother who brutally abused him in order to turn him into a weapon against the world she hated. It worked.

* [[HarryPotter Lord Voldemort]] is a textbook sociopath. In his younger days before he became ObviouslyEvil, he was a canny manipulator brimming with superficial charm. He [[EvilCannotComprehendGood does not understand love]], viewing other people - including his own followers - as merely tools to serve his ends. Also, the "persistent killing" part fits him pretty well.Though the book posits a reason for his sociopathy. His mother seduced a Muggle with a love potion, and it was a completely loveless union. Riddle Sr. did not ''truly'' love Merope back, diplaying affection only under the influence of the potion. This absence of love in Voldemort's conception was the reason for his complete inability to love. Dumbledore also believes that had his mother not lost the will to live and died in childbirth, but instead raised Voldemort and loved him, his sociopathic tendencies might have been avoided.

** [[GrumpyOldMan Lord Walder Frey]] certainly fits the bill as well. This guy plays around with his ridiculously huge family like a three-year old with a sandpit. And the reason why he joined Robb's Rebellion in the first book in the first place was because he was given a chance to get rid of some of said offspring. {{Then, in the third book, he had no qualms whatsoever to backstab Robb and his allies, simply because he felt annoyed that Robb had (unintentionally) broken their treaty. He was also non the least reluctant, but rather [[AbusiveParents absolutely willing to trade one of his Great-great-grandsons' life]] in exchange for Robb's.}}
** If you look closely, you'll realize the Sociopaths there needn't be [[FortheEvulz on the Evils' side.]] Bronn, the sellsword who becomes Tyrion's champion and bodyguard seems to apply rather well. Stabs his [[Mery kill dying comrade]], only because he felt it were social norms? Check. Volunteers to kill a knight, simply because he thinks [[BloodKnight it might be fun fighting one?]] Check. After a long time together {{[[ChronicBackstabbingOrder suddenly betrays Tyrion]] for a noble title?}} Check! The reason why he named his son after Tyrion was more likely because he respected the guy on an intellectual basis, not because he conceived him his friend. In fact, once he points out that he has no friends at all and isn't the slightliest bothered by it.

** [[Grumpy Old Man Lord Walder Frey]] certainly fits the bill as well. This guy plays around with his ridiculously huge family like a three-year old with a sandpit. And the reason why he joined Robb's Rebellion in the first book in the first place was because he was given a chance to get rid of some of said offspring. {{Then, in the third book, he had no qualms whatsoever to backstab Robb and his allies, simply because he felt annoyed that Robb had (unintentionally) broken their treaty. He was also non the least reluctant, but rather [[Abusive Parents absolutely willing to trade one of his Great-great-grandsons' life]] in exchange for Robb's.}}
** If you look closely, you'll realize the Sociopaths there needn't be [[For the Evulz on the Evils' side.]] Bronn, the sellsword who becomes Tyrion's champion and bodyguard seems to apply rather well. Stabs his [[Mery kill dying comrade]], only because he felt it were social norms? Check. Volunteers to kill a knight, simply because he thinks [[Blood Knight it might be fun fighting one?]] Check. After a long time together {{[[Chronic Backstabbing Order suddenly betrays Tyrion]] for a noble title?}} Check! The reason why he named his son after Tyrion was more likely because he respected the guy on an intellectual basis, not because he conceived him his friend. In fact, once he points out that he has no friends at all and isn't the slightliest bothered by it.

** And need we mention [[TheCaligula King Joffery?]]