Project Text (Revised)

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Vargas, Pedro

English 114B

Sean Pessin 

March 7, 2012

The Change of a Structure: The Hierarchy of Dune

                With millions of copies sold worldwide, Dune is a legendary science fiction saga that captivates the minds of readers. Its use of human nature along with its military and economic applications make such a distant future feel so close to the present. Ironically this book was written fifty years in the past demonstrating Dune’s timelessness. Frank Herbert wrote Dune in a time where the imagination of science fiction fans was out of this world because of the enormous technological boom caused by the Space Race. It was a time where many historical achievements took place and a time where different systems of hierarchy were rising. A hierarchy is like a class system that determines who is the ultimate source of power in a society and why. Power can be obtained through various methods depending on the customs and believes of the given society. A system might value wisdom and so in that case the ultimate source of power would be the wisest and more experience candidate.  In the case of Dune, the power is divided in to sections of different natures with different responsibilities. One can look at it as a dragon with multiple heads where each head represents a different branch and the dragon represents the power as a whole. One branch might be slightly more powerful than the other but they are ultimately a power beyond all else. This particular universe has its power divided in to politics, military, prestige, knowledge, and economics.  In order to determine who plays what role, how this power changes from one book in to the next, and how they are connected to one another it is necessary to observe every individual branch’s source of power. Through analysis we will determine the relationships between each power and how Paul Atreides, the protagonist, causes each power to change.

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The Powers

The Political/Military Power

In the hierarchy of Dune, only one figure had ultimate control over the politics. This figure, ironically, didn’t show a face until the last chapters of Dune.  His power, however, resonated throughout the book as ultimate and absolute. This power belonged to the Padishah Emperor who had the ability to decide over any other political figure which included the Dukes or the Counts. He had the power to set rules over any planet and these rules were obeyed by all because nobody dared to challenge his power.  This power was obtained from different sources including the legendary Sardaukar from the planet Salusa Secundus.

                Power can be defined in many ways but one well known source of power is the military force. The Emperor knew this very well and so he used the horrible conditions of the planet Salusa Secundus to raise an army of elite warriors called Sardaukar. These warriors were exposed at such a young age to a violent and horrible environment which forced them to do whatever it took to emerge victorious.  They were a very violent and brutal force but ultimately, amazing warriors. The Sardaukar were feared by all the other armies and for a good reason too. Any army who opposed these warriors never won the battle.   As terrible as the Sardaukar were, however, they were without a doubt a great source of power. The Emperor needed this power to make sure that his rules and decisions were followed. These warriors were also a great insurance that made sure nobody questioned or challenged him.  They were only a portion of his power though. The Sardaukar protected him from a direct assault but not from a surprise attack or a conspiracy plan. For these he turned to his other source of power, and a bridge to another branch in the hierarchy, the “Truthsayer.”

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The Power of Prestige/Knowledge

A Truthsayer is Reverend Mother who underwent a special training that allowed her to detect lies and falsehood. She worked in conjunction with the Emperor but she was part of a female exclusive superpower known as the Bene Gesserit.  Some called the Bene Gesserit witches and others addressed them with ultimate respect but everyone knew that these females were a powerful force. Unlike the Emperor, the Bene Gesserit didn’t have an army of elite warriors but they had another exclusive source of power which didn’t require brute force to exercise its will.

                The word Bene Gesserit belonged to the name of a prestigious school in the Dune universe. This school was exclusive to females and it disciplined them with mental and physical training that enabled their senses to reach an amazing level of awareness. Detecting hidden doors and concealed weapons was only a taste of what their senses could do. Perhaps the most famous skill that a Bene Gesserit was known for was something called “The Voice.” To use this skill, a Bene Gesserit would give a command in a certain pitch that controlled the listener. With an instant command a Bene Gesserit could have someone kneel before her, not that it was necessary. Because of the prestige they received from their ancient school, the Bene Gesserit were seen as an elite group. A group that had ancient knowledge and wisdom which they passed down generation after generation to their wisest leaders known as Reverend Mothers. The process to pass down knowledge and wisdom was dangerous because it involved drinking poisonous water that only a Reverend Mother could transform in to drinkable water.  As one can imagine, they must have had a strong motive to run the risk of dying so they can pass down the knowledge.

                In the case of Dune, knowledge is a powerful source of power for the Bene Gesserit because its accumulation over many generations gives the Reverend Mothers information about humanity. It’s

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similar to a science journal in which every generation adds an input to it.  The Bene Gesserit used this “journal” to breed humans in an effort to create a “Kwisatz Haderach”, a male Reverend Mother. While it’s true that a Reverend Mother has amazing perception, it is also true that her perception is not ultimate. There is a dark region within a Reverend Mother that is vital to understanding space and time but a Reverend Mother cannot see it because she is a female. This is why they needed a male who could serve as the bridge to this dark region. As one can imagine, breeding humans to achieve this goal was not something that everyone liked. The Bene Gesserit knew this and to insure that nobody oppose them, they made allies with the Emperor. This alliance, however, also served another purpose that not too many knew.

                In order for a Reverend Mother’s powers to work, she needs a substance called Melange which can only be obtained from the planet Arrakis. Melange is a spice that tastes similar to cinnamon and it’s created by giant sand worms in the sands of Arrakis. The spice also has a very addictive property that makes it a necessity for a Reverend Mother. Obtaining large quantities of the spice without alerting anyone was made possible by the Emperor who prohibited the use of satellites on Arrakis. In order to transport the spice, however, both the Emperor and the Bene Gesserit formed an alliance with another powerful branch in the hierarchy of Dune. This branch shares the strong addiction to the spice with the Bene Gesserit but have a different source of power: Economics.

The Economic Power

                Economic power is more than just having an abundance of money; it’s also having complete control over something that everyone needs. In modern history, for example, if a single firm controlled all the oil of the world, that firm would probably be the most influential power in the world. In the Dune universe, however, we have a different monopoly which belongs to the Guild.

                The Spacing Guild was a school of severe training like the Bene Gesserit but it is known more for its monopoly over space travel and transportation. Transportation is a crucial service in the universe of Dune because it is the only way to get resources from one planet to another. Naturally, the Bene Gesserit and the Emperor use the Guild to obtain spice. In exchange, the Guild also receives a share of spice for their addictive needs and a high position in the hierarchy of Dune.

                The three superpowers had absolute control over the universe of Dune for many years. Some liked their hierarchy and some didn’t but of those who didn’t nobody dared to challenge the superpowers. These three corrupt powers seemed unstoppable but they unknowingly created the very source of their demise. This source was a young man named Paul Atreides who was a victim of their corruption.

The Downfall    

Overpowering the Emperor

                After arriving in Arrakis, Duke Leto, of the planet Caladan, found himself amazed by the native population living there.  A population that adapted to the hostile and dangerous conditions of Arrakis in order to not only survive, but to call that planet home. The Duke then decided to try and make these natives called “Fremen” allies because he believed that they were underestimated warriors. Unfortunately the Duke died before he was able to make allies with these people but his son Paul continued his work and explored his father’s belief on the Fremen. The belief that these people were amazing warriors proved to be true and once Paul formed an alliance with the Fremen the Emperor lost his advantage because he no longer had the strongest army.

Underestimating the Fremen turned out to be a fatal mistake for the Emperor and his Sardaukar. The hostile conditions of Dune turned the Fremen in to incredible warriors just as Salusa Secundus did for the Sardaukar. After various battles between both warrior elites, it was proven that without a doubt the Fremen were superior. This was very significant to the power of the Emperor because his Sardaukar were his primary weapon and now that they were defeated, he was weaker. Through rhetoric perspective one can say that the Sardaukar were like the Emperor’s whip; they symbolized a kind of danger that would be bestowed upon those who didn’t follow his orders. Now that his “whip” was broken though, he would be left without an instrument to reinforce his will. This would also mean that now somebody else has a stronger “whip” that s/he can use against the emperor if they wished. Naturally, this made the Bene Gesserit uneasy because the Emperor was their ally. They were even more uneasy, however, when they realized that the leader of these Fremen was named Paul Atreides and that he had the powers of a Reverend Mother.

Making the Prestige kneel

After many years of breeding, it turned out that the Bene Gesserit achieved their goal in creating a Kwisatz Haderach. The only problem was that Paul, who was the Kwisatz Haderach, refused to serve the purpose that they intended him for. He didn’t want to become a part of the Bene Gesserit and he didn’t share their ideology. This angered the Bene Gesserit who spent generations trying to create a Kwisatz Haderach. This also meant that they were no longer as prestigious because all of their skills and knowledge were now in the hands of a male. Paul was the only male they were willing to accept in their “prestigious” society and he not only denied their invitation, but he even insulted their ideology. By doing so Paul placed himself above the level of the Bene Gesserit who generated prestiege by excluding a great majority from their society. Unfortunately for the Bene Gesserit, their quest for power and knowledge required the cooperation of the Kwisatz Haderach who they spent generations trying to create. The need for the knowledge that Paul possessed put the Bene Gesserit in a position where they would have to play by his rules in order to get even the slightest chance on obtaining some of his knowledge. Unwillingly, the Bene Gesserit succumbed to Paul. This meant that there was only one more power remaining for Paul to defeat: the Guild.

Blackmailing the Guild

In order to attack something so powerful like an economic power, Paul decided to explore every possible weakness that the Guild might have. During his time in Arrakis he learned more about the nature of the spice Melange. He learned how addictive it can be by experiencing addiction to the drug himself. He also discovered that the planet Arrakis was kept as a desert planet because water destroys the spice that so many people are addicted to. Of all the people that are addicted to the spice, the Guild is probably the one with the most severe addiction to Melange. In fact, they are so addicted to the drug that Guildsmen are even mutated from the drug. In a case like this, Paul realized that the ability to destroy Melange is a power all in its own. Paul blackmailed the guild by threatening to destroy the spice if the guild doesn’t succumb to him. Naturally, the Guild thought that he was bluffing but at the same time none of the Guildsmen wanted to risk the destruction of the spice. With no other choice, the economic power gave in to Paul’s demands.

Now that the three superpowers were defeated by a single person, the hierarchy of Dune took a very interesting turn. The ultimate power now resided within a single being instead of multiple branches. It was obvious that there would be many changes but one change in particular made a huge impact in the Dune universe. This change was introduced with a single word that brought value to a new idea and a new philosophy which would be followed by all: Messiah.

Dune Messiah

                A messiah is a religious term used to identify he who is in supreme power. It is also the way that Fremen and many other people viewed Paul. In a sense this word alone gives Paul so much power because it gives authority without question. This authority, along with all the powers that Paul took control of made him a much more powerful leader than the Emperor, Bene Gesserit, or the Guild. This is because religion is a believe that followers don’t question, especially when the religious leader has control over all the powers.

                In Dune Messiah Paul is already in the throne because he married the daughter of the previous emperor. Of course, this was nothing more than a political move because he didn’t actually love her. This was like a slap in the face to the Emperor who had no choice but to accept this marriage. The marriage alone is a symbol of Paul’s power because it basically means that he can take whatever he wishes, even the Emperor’s daughter, and the Emperor is powerless to stop him. This powerless feeling came from the fact that Paul’s Fremen were a far stronger fighting force than the Sardaukar, the Emperor’s main source of power. It also came from the fact that Paul’s influence was stronger than the Emperor’s because Paul was seen as a prophet and a religious figure not just a political one. Paul’s prophet abilities were also something placed him above the Bene Gesserit. While it is true that the Bene Gesserit have special abilities, these abilities are elementary compared to those that Paul exercised in Dune Messiah.

                The Bene Gesserit observe the past and use it to obtain knowledge that they can exercise in the present. Paul, however, has these same powers and the ability to see in to the future. This ability is something that makes Paul a much more powerful force than the Bene Gesserit. Using data to predict the future is something the Bene Gesserit tried to achieve but failed to.

                In conclusion, the Dune universe had many different sources of power which changed after Paul overthrew the first hierarchy. Some things didn’t change as much like the military elites and the Guild monopoly but other things changed drastically. The Bene Gesserit, for example, were overshadowed by the power of Paul and Alia in Dune Messiah and therefore took a different role. In Dune, the Hierarchy was a dragon with multiple heads and in Dune Messiah it was a dragon with a single, much bigger head.  In Dune, politics were the driving force while in Dune Messiah it was religion. Both hierarchies, however, obtained some power from the Spice Melange. A spice created by Frank Herbert to interpret some of the spectrum of human nature. Perhaps the spice can represent the addiction to power that people in the modern era are feeling. It’s ironic that many things change in the hierarchy of Dune but the power of the spice doesn’t change. Perhaps Frank Herbert is trying to make the point that no matter how many changes happen or how much time passes by; this addiction to power will always remain the same.