Joined: 16 Feb 2005 Posts: 1160 Location: Castelli Romani
Posted: 11 Apr 2006 - 18:17 Post subject: Post subject: The Messiah as a Corruptor
Rovistando nel mio pc tra le cose da salvare (è in via di formattazione... ) ho trovato il seguente testo:
George Schaeffer - 76101 T
Contribution Paper, Final Draft
December 11th, 2003
Dune: The Messiah as a Corruptor
Frank Herbert's Dune is arguably one of the best science fiction novels ever written. A milestone of the genre, the work incorporates an intricate plot with a unique setting and memorable characters. Dune is rich with thematic material, touching on such varied issues as ecology, economics, religion, and politics; ultimately, it is a novel about control, the consequences of power, and human nature. Any reading of Dune and its sequels inevitably arrives at an analysis of Paul, who begins the novel as the youthful ducal heir to House Atreides.
Trained both by his mother, a sister of the enigmatic Bene Gesserit School, and by the mentat Thufir Hawat, the human equivalent of a supercomputer, Paul is obviously quite gifted. Through some combination of his genetic makeup and his education, Paul has exceptional mental clarity, often seeing connections where others would see nothing; sometimes his abilities, especially his prophetic dreams, transcend rational explanation. Early on in Dune, House Atreides is pressured into a change of fief from their ancestral home of Caladan to the unforgiving desert planet Arrakis'the sole source of the spice melange which, among other things, promotes long life and gives the Imperium a means of interstellar transport. The victim of a 'work of art among vendettas," Paul's father, Duke Leto Atreides, is soon deposed and assassinated by the Atreides' hereditary rival, the Baron Harkonnen. Having managed to escape House Harkonnen's clutches, Paul and his mother, Lady Jessica, find themselves lost in the desert wilderness and are soon captured by a tribe of the indigenous Fremen. With the guidance of his mother, Paul works himself into the implanted mythos of the Fremen people as the Lisan al-Gaib, the Voice from Another World. Having gained their trust, Paul, known to the Fremen as Muad'dib, unites the different tribes under a common, twofold purpose'to destroy the Harkonnen invaders and to revolutionize the world of Arrakis, transforming it into an ecological paradise.
Paul's character is the subject of continued debate among scholars of science fiction. In 'The Prince on Arrakis," Kevin Mulachy argues that Herbert's contrast of Paul and his adversaries is meant to provide an examination and refutation of Machiavellian political strategies. 'The Messiah and the Greens," by Susan Stratton, concludes that Dune is a novel expressing ecological concerns surfacing during the time of its inception; Paul is meant to offer a solution to the environmental problems of Arrakis. Paul Kucera's Jungian reading of Dune, presented in 'Listening to Ourselves" suggests that the novel is an analysis of absolute symbolism, in which Paul is a representation of culturally unifying power. Comparisons can be drawn between Paul and ideas presented by Plato in The Republic; his character resonates strongly with both the philosopher-king ideal and the puppetmasters of the 'Allegory of the Cave." The discussion between these different perspectives arises in several areas: Mulachy and Stratton present their opinions on how the setting of Dune affects Paul's actions. As both argue that the setting is important to Paul's rise to power, the discussion then turns to a debate on the protagonist's sources of power and how his role as Muad'dib affects his character. Kucera and Mulachy both comment on the importance of the Fremen culture and how it affect's Paul's fate; delving deeper, we see how even an exemplar of the platonic ideal can become tarnished.
Drawing upon the debate between these authors, I will further suggest that Paul Atreides is used by Herbert as a means to present an unsettling message about human nature: the creation of messiah-figures and our adherence to systems of hero-worship ultimately corrupt society and contribute to its decline.
The setting of Dune provides not only an interesting backdrop to the story, but is also one of the major factors that bring Paul into his role as Mahdi, or messiah. Probably some of the aspects most fascinating to readers of Dune are the rich background and history that Herbert integrates into the framework of the novel. The semi-feudal Galactic Imperium is divided into several factions which all seek to control the situation to fit their own prerogatives. Paul's story is a parallel of Imperial politics on a small scale. He must seek out ways to manipulate individuals and groups in order to shift the balance of power in his direction. Herbert also uses a setting familiar to the reader, as many aspects of Arrakis are analogous to those of the Middle East'the Fremen culture and language seem to be partially modeled after dominant characteristics of modern Islamic society. Stratton's emphasis on the ecological aspects of Dune gives us interesting insights into the tools that Herbert provides Paul. In the words of Duke Leto, 'On Caladan, we ruled with sea and air power ... here we must scrabble for desert power" (Herbert, Dune 104). Stratton likens Paul's development to this struggle to control the desert, to understand it, and to use it to further his own goals. On some level, the ecological message of Dune seems to provide a Darwinist perspective. At a banquet towards the beginning of the Atreides presence on Arrakis, Paul asserts that 'Most educated people know that worst potential competition comes from its own kind" (Herbert, Dune 137). It is therefore the responsibility of the strong to prey on the weak, and find ways to control them. Stratton believes that the ecological crisis of Arrakis is one such method of manipulation. 'The Fremen are a desperate people, threatened with extinction by the harshness of both the climate and the Harkonnens ... No outsider less than a Messiah can win their allegiance" (312). By promising to transform Arrakis into a lush garden planet, Paul wins over the Fremen tribesmen. Mulachy attributes Paul's rise to his beneficent leadership style. Having learned how to rule from his father, Paul is skilled at instilling loyalty into his followers. Unlike the Harkonnens, who rule by direct manipulation, extortion, fear, and deceit, Mulachy asserts that 'the Atreides, because of their personal courage and generosity, enjoy the fanatical devotion of their followers" (29). Where the Harkonnens embody the ridiculous misconceptions of Machiavellian leaders, 'the Atreides represent what is best in Machiavelli's vision"'they lure their subjects into submission by acts of kindness, heroism, and, as Duke Leto puts it, by creating an 'air of bravura" (Herbert, Dune 104).
Therefore, the situation that Mulachy believes contributes to Paul's rise is a latent hatred of the Harkonnens by an oppressed population. Whereas Stratton finds the Fremen desperation in the ecology of the planet, and their hopes for its amelioration, Mulachy finds it in their discontentment with the Harkonnen regime. The discrepancy between their two views originates in what each assumes to be Herbert's message. Stratton notes that the novel was the first of its kind to employ ecological change as a major theme: 'Paul's heroic adventures include a succession of discoveries about how the harsh environment of the desert planet ... may be an ally" (308); she believes that the most important tool that Paul uses to accomplish his goal of returning Arrakis to Atreides rule is the ecological vision he implants into the minds of the Fremen tribes. Mulachy, on the other hand, believes that Herbert's message lies in a comparison between two almost simplistically different styles of leadership. Paul's manipulation, therefore, comes with his achievement of the Machiavellian ideal.
I would like to suggest that the major tool of Paul's control is his manipulation of the Lisan al-Gaib myth. In Dune, Herbert illustrates many sources and methods of control, and religion seems to be one of the more powerful ones. Religion is used extensively and successfully by the Bene Gesserit sisterhood to manipulate the situation to their favor. Paul's use of the Lisan al-Gaib myth is not terribly different: the Fremen believe Paul to be a figure of hope in their religion, and they easily submit to his influence. My assumptions are similar to those of Stratton, then, because we both place some kind of emphasis on the mythological role of Paul.
While Mulachy provides an interesting contrast between the leadership styles of the Houses Atreides and Harkonnen, he fails to recognize some of the more salient differences between Paul's leadership and his father's. Paul's situation is quite different than Duke Leto's; though his father was seen as something of a romantic and heroic figure, a dashing 'Prince" of the Machiavellian ideal, Paul is a religious figure, and this ultimately affects his ruling style.
Through the contrast of Paul's successes and Leto's failures, Herbert is commenting on the role of organized religion in leadership and the extensive capacity for manipulation it provides.
Mulachy claims that the Atreides power base is naturally stronger than that of the Harkonnens, but I disagree. At the beginning of the novel, the Harkonnens seem to have a much better hold on their subjects than do the Atreides leadership. Though they are more admirable as leaders, rulers like Duke Leto are ultimately doomed; even he admits this when he says that men as popular as him inspire only jealousy. The Harkonnens are despicable, but their use of fear and coercion are quite efficacious, even if they lack subtlety. Dr. Yueh's betrayal of House Atreides is an especially good indicator of this argument'despite the demands of the loyalty instilled by his Suk Doctor training, Dr. Yueh ultimately betrays the Atreides by a Harkonnen manipulation. Paul's powerbase is rather different than that of his father's; Duke Leto ruled with honesty and straightforwardness, while Paul keeps many of his plans and visions secret'and he succeeds where his father failed. Ultimately, I suggest that Herbert is asserting that appealing to the basest flaws of human nature is more effective than ruling with decency and kindness, but because Paul eventually overcomes the Harkonnens, manipulation of a people through religion, mysticism, and mythology is even yet more effective.
Paul's character shifts drastically over the course of the series. At first, he is an immensely compassionate and almost naïve young man, but as the story progresses, Paul's character dramatically changes into that of a ruthless and exacting leader. Instances of his former character traits can be seen even as late as his initial experiences with the Fremen'his mourning of the Fremen Janis and his touching romance with Chani, for instance. Later, Paul is so affected by the changes in his character that he can not even feel grief at the death of his own firstborn. The issue of how and why Paul's character undergoes such a remarkable shift comes up in all of the essayists' arguments. Kevin Mulachy cites both Paul's experiences in reality as well his visions of the inevitable jihad as sources of his angst. 'By the end of Dune, however, he is a changed man, hardened by both his real and prescient experiences" (Mulachy 31). Mulachy also notes that this change in Paul is one that cannot be easily undone; the Lady Jessica pleads with Paul, before the assault on the Harkonnen capital at Arrakeen, to avoid taking revenge on the innocent, and Paul replies, 'there are no innocents anymore" (Herbert, Dune 376). Stratton's opinion is close to that of Mulachy, showing that Paul knows the outcome of his reign to be a negative one. She asserts that Paul is aware that his story 'is fundamentally a story of death" and that this knowledge changes him (307). Plato's 'Allegory of the Cave" is relevant to this discussion because it presents an argument about how truthful knowledge can affect people; Paul is like the man who escapes into the sun's light, as he has seen the Truth and is ultimately changed by it. Mulachy and Stratton both agree somewhat with this model; it is the knowledge and fear of what is truly coming'the terrible jihad, wrought in his name'that changes Paul over the course of Dune.
While I do find merit in the argument of prescient visions and the Truth affecting the outcome of Paul's character, the central point of my argument is most similar to that of Kucera's argument. In 'Listening to Ourselves," Kucera highlights the importance of cultural icons and the expectations society places on us. Thrust into the mythology of the Fremen, Paul is ultimately changed by not only his experiences, but also by what he believes is expected of him.
Kucera and I then suggest that the myth of the Lisan al-Gaib is an undeniably powerful influence on Paul as a character. 'The threat of becoming trapped within the myth fabric, and thus losing the ability to decide, is epitomized in Paul's struggle throughout Dune" (Kucera 240). Here again, the basic assumption of this argument is one of control: Paul is using the myth of the Lisan al-Gaib as a tool, but it is also controlling him and changing him as he tries to fit in the mold of the messianic hero. Essentially, the change in his character that may arise as an effect of his prescience is ultimately due to his inevitable entrapment within the 'myth fabric" of the Fremen society'while not a direct effect of his new role, according to the mythos associated with him, Paul is meant to bring about the jihad, and he does so, whether he likes it or not.
Putting all of these different arguments together, I claim that the major reason for the changes of Paul's character is one of cognitive dissonance'the discomfort experienced when there is a discrepancy between what one knows and what one must do.
To fully analyze Paul's character, one has to look at the series past the first novel, Dune.
After the climactic victory over the Harkonnens and the exciting duel between Baron Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen and Duke Paul Atreides, Paul claims the Imperium as his own, taking Princess Irulan as his wife and threatening to ruin the Spice cycle if he is not obeyed. Soon, his Fedaykin storm troopers ravage the Empire, until all Houses and factions submit to him politically and religiously. 'At a conservative estimate, I've killed sixty-one billion people, sterilized ninety planets, completely demoralized five hundred others" (Herbert, Dune Messiah 93). In addition to the obvious detrimental effects on Imperial society, the Fremen soon become sedentary and lazy under Paul's reign'they no longer have to constantly fight for their own survival. Using again his framing of the novel as a refutation of Machiavellian ideas, Mulachy cites Paul's failure as an effective ruler to be Herbert's ultimate judgment of The Prince. 'Dune is a sustained attack on ... Machiavelli. Political realism ignores the consequences attendant upon its practice: the corruption of the ruler and the reduction of the people to a servile state of perpetual immaturity" (33). Mulachy believes that the novels provide a scathing examination of Machiavelli's ideas, but he laments that Herbert does not articulate a better way of ruling; he believes that this silence originates as an effect of Herbert's basic agreement with Machiavelli about human nature''superstitious, fickle, and easily led" (34). Herbert's vision is bleak, he claims, because it offers no solutions to the problems it so eloquently raises. Kucera comes from a more philosophical perspective, claiming that through 'liberation' and adherence to figures of absolute power we are paradoxically made subjects. Kucera argues that even though Paul promised freedom from the iron fists of House Harkonnen and the Imperium, his reign is just as, if not more, oppressive than these former tyrants (239). Kucera and Mulachy would agree that '[the Fremen] become worshipers, not comrades," though their assumptions about the novel are somewhat different'Mulachy's Dune speaks to the power politics of Machiavelli, while Kucera's Jungian reading examines more universal cultural problems.
My claim is that Herbert's Dune and its sequels demonstrate that messiahs are actually a danger to society. It is undeniable that Paul's reign has an ultimately negative effect on the Fremen and the Imperium alike; the question is as to where the origin of such a danger lies.
Herbert himself says on this issue: 'I had this theory that superheroes were disastrous for humans, that even if you postulated an infallible hero, the things this hero set in motion fell eventually into the hands of fallible mortals" (O'Reilley 5). Herbert's words would support Kucera's position that the downfall of the Fremen and the Imperium were not the fault of Paul, but instead that of his followers. I suggest that the ultimate danger, then, lies in the sacrifice of one's free will. There is nothing more dangerous to a society or a group than offering up its ability to make decisions to others, no matter how powerful or beneficial they may seem. The Fremen lose their free will when they submit to Paul, their mythological savior, as a ruler with absolute power; the Imperium's free will is lost through the raging fires of jihad and their overdependence on the Spice. Though Paul seems victorious at first, his reign effectively ruins both societies, and his followers' investment in his rulership is to blame. The theme of this danger is repeated several times in the novel and the history of the Imperium'the major commandment of the Orange Catholic Bible, the Imperium's universally accepted religious manifesto, is 'thou shalt not make a machine in the likeness of a human mind." This warning is a direct consequence of the Butlerian Jihad, an ancient war in which humanity revolted against the oppressive thinking Machines; effectively, it cautions against giving our free will to others, machine or messiah. Unlike Mulachy, I believe that Herbert's Dune actually does present a solution to this problem. Though the Fremen ultimately decline into decadence under Paul's reign, they managed to accomplish great deeds as well; the stagnation of the Fremen began after Paul took the Imperial throne and became ruler of the known universe. The theme of hedonism as a sign of society's decline is echoed in the rule of Rabban Harkonnen prior to the Atreides coming to Arrakis, but the corruption of that regime originated in the arrogance and pleasureseeking of the leadership, rather than from any fault of their oppressed and terrorized subjects' the loss of free will here is a forced one, rather than one of voluntary sacrifice. My assertion is that Herbert is warning us against looking to messianic figures as external loci of control, and is appealing to us to instead look to them as sources of confidence and inspiration. Saviors ultimately avail us nothing if we seek to be their slaves, as the Fremen did. Like the men in Plato's 'Allegory of the Cave," the Fremen are content at being chained and watching the shadows of their mythology play against the wall; they are happy to let Paul be a puppetmaster.
The Fremen could not have been able to overthrow the Harkonnen usurpers without Paul's influence, and neither Mulachy nor Kucera comment on the apparent success of this campaign.
Yes, Herbert's vision of humanity is bleak, but it is much bleaker if we take nothing positive from the story of Dune.
Dune and its sequels seem to present us with many questions about human nature. Paul Atreides, the victim of circumstance, uses the messianic mythos of the Fremen to rise to power, and corrupts both himself and his followers in the process. The story seems to, at the very least, provide insight into Herbert's views on ecology, politics, religion, and human nature. Stratton concentrates on the ecological aspects of the work and how Paul's promise of a green Arrakis is the key to controlling the Fremen. Mulachy analyzes the work's relation to Machiavelli's The Prince, while Kucera relates the novel to absolute symbols inherent across human culture. Even with the absolute power he eventually acquires, Paul's reign is ultimately a failure. In examining the rationale behind his decline, one can only conclude that the failure was that of his followers'a failure to rely upon themselves for guidance. The ultimate tragic hero, Paul Atreides is singular among science fiction protagonists, just as Dune is a singular novel of the genre. Through his character, Herbert asserts that in messiahs we must not look for domination, but for inspiration.
Works Cited
- Herbert, Frank. Dune. Berkley Publishing Company. New York, NY. 1965.
- Herbert, Frank. Dune Messiah. Berkley Publishing Company. New York, NY. 1969.
- Kucera, Paul. 'Listening to Ourselves: Herbert's Dune, 'the Voice" and Performing the Absolute." Extrapolation. Vol 42, No 3. Fall 2001. 232'45.
- Mulachy, Kevin. 'The Prince on Arrakis: Frank Herbert's Dialogue with Machiavelli." Extrapolation. Vol 37, No 2. Spring 1996. 22'36.
- O'Reilley, Timothy. Frank Herbert. Frederick Ungar Publishing Co. New York, NY. 1981.
- Stratton, Susan. 'The Messiah and the Greens: The Shape of Environmental Action in Dune and Pacific Edge." Extrapolation. Vol 42, No 4. Winter 2001. 301'16.
- Touponce, William. Frank Herbert. Twayne Publishers. Boston, MA. 1988.
Joined: 24 Apr 2005 Posts: 2675 Location: Ix, Scuola dei Mentat
Posted: 13 Apr 2006 - 18:28 Post subject:
Interessantissimo, Starsailor, grazie per averlo pubblicato!
Questo saggio è manna per la mia tesina su Dune!
Rymoah _________________ Non si può capire un processo arrestandolo. La comprensione deve fluire insieme col processo, deve unirsi ad esso e fluire con esso.
Qualche giorno fa lessi una critica rivolta ad Herbert in cui lo si accusava di avere un non-stile e altre considerazioni negative. Benché io non sia d'accordo, mi sembrava interessante un punto di vista diverso e controcorrente. Qualcuno di voi per caso ce l'ha?
Parte che dovrei scrivere: cosa intendi con non-stile? Detta così sembrerebbe paragonabile a quella del nazismo di FH...
Parte che non dovrei scrivere, onorando così la decenza e il decoro: non-stile non lo so, di certo ha molte non-navi!
Parte che dovrei scrivere: cosa intendi con non-stile? Detta così sembrerebbe paragonabile a quella del nazismo di FH...
Parte che non dovrei scrivere, onorando così la decenza e il decoro: non-stile non lo so, di certo ha molte non-navi!
ehehehe...
Va bene, non voglio andare troppo fuori tema, comunque l'ho letto, dovresti chiederlo a quello che lo ha scritto, ma da quello che avevo capito lui intendeva dire, in parole povere, che Herbert utilizzava un modo di scrivere confuso e quasi incomprensibile, non per scelta personale, ma perché non fosse in grado di scrivere un libro.
Tutti noi non pensiamo questo, ma è una cosa su cui si poteva discutere. Quindi se la ritrovo la posto.
Joined: 24 Apr 2005 Posts: 2675 Location: Ix, Scuola dei Mentat
Posted: 14 Apr 2006 - 11:50 Post subject:
profondoblu wrote:
ehehehe...
Va bene, non voglio andare troppo fuori tema, comunque l'ho letto, dovresti chiederlo a quello che lo ha scritto, ma da quello che avevo capito lui intendeva dire, in parole povere, che Herbert utilizzava un modo di scrivere confuso e quasi incomprensibile, non per scelta personale, ma perché non fosse in grado di scrivere un libro.
Tutti noi non pensiamo questo, ma è una cosa su cui si poteva discutere. Quindi se la ritrovo la posto.
Sarei proprio curioso di vedere le argomentazioni che porta questo critico... Ora provo a cercare anch'io.
Rymoah _________________ Non si può capire un processo arrestandolo. La comprensione deve fluire insieme col processo, deve unirsi ad esso e fluire con esso.
) ho trovato il seguente testo:
