Vargas, Pedro
English 114B
Sean Pessin
13 May 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.
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.”
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 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.
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.
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.
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 who spent many generations trying to
obtain this power but failed. It is no surprise that the “witches” took heavy
disrespect by Paul and all of those who followed him in Dune Messiah. Their
social status dropped dramatically as Paul’s power increased but as long as
Melange exists they might also exist. This can also be said about the Guild.
In
Dune Messiah the Guild was still a monopoly but it was controlled by Paul. The
fact that Paul lived in Arrakis and had the ability to destroy the spice kept
the Guild under a leash. Paul even exercised his power over the Guild in Dune
Messiah by executing a Guildsman after he found out about the conspiracy that
he was planning against him. The economic power of the Guild became useless
because even if they became the richest company in the Dune universe, they
still had to answer to Paul for everything.
In conclusion, the
analysis of Dune gave us a better understanding of the relationship between each
power and how Paul changed it. Some things didn’t change as much like the fact that
there was a military elite and the fact that the Guild monopoly still existed.
Other things, however, changed drastically. The Bene Gesserit, for example, lost
a lot of power to Paul who became this powerful leader. 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.
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