The background story of religion and its effect on human culture and history is one of the attractions I have to the Dune story. I love considering what makes a religion withstand the test of time. One of my favorite undergraduate courses as a student at Lafayette College was a course on Eastern religions. In that course, the professor said that we could identify a religion by two things: (1) it provides some sort of guidance on how to live one's life, and (2) it provides some framework to answer the question 'why am I here?' or 'what is my purpose?'
Frank Herbert brought in the major religions of today's society into the story. Buddhism and Islam are apparent in the existence of Zensunnis, Zenshiites, and Buddislamics. Of course, there is the Orange Catholic Bible and Reverend Mothers. There are underlying hints of Judaism also but a bit more subtle. Having read all the books, I know I will be returning to the Jewish connection several times in later books.
The first strong inference that the Jews had a lasting influence was shortly before the attack by the Harkonnens to retake Arrakis. Duke Leto receives a note from a Fremen which reads: "A column of smoke by day, a pillar of fire by night." (Dune, 40th Anniversary Edition, p. 155) This is nearly identical to a passage in Exodus, one of the five books of Moses, otherwise known as the Torah. It describes how God led the way for the Hebrews out of Egypt. Why was this message given to Duke Leto by the Fremen? There is no other reference to it. What were the Fremen trying to say with this message? As a side note, "pillar of fire" is one of the terms defined in the "Terminology of the Imperium" which is provided by Frank Herbert as a sort of glossary at the end of the book. He defines it as "a simple pyrocket for signalling across the open desert." (Dune, 40th Anniversary Edition, p. 502)
If you have an idea on the purpose and meaning of this Fremen note to Duke Leto, please share. Aside from the Judaic connection, I just don't know what to make of it.
Looks like no one got around to commenting. But I was just reading Dune again and came upon that passage. It always piqued my interest and puzzled me for my first several (dozen?) reads over the years.
ReplyDeleteMy earliest thoughts during my first contact with Dune I many years ago was that it was a warning that the attack would come at night. Capture of lasgun shipments by day = column of smoke by day, Harkonnen attack = pillar of fire by night.
Upon further reflection, however... I believe the note from the Fremen was indeed an Exodus reference... and had things gone as planned - namely, had Yueh not interfered- Tuek would've whisked Leto, Jessica, Paul, others away in the night, before the Harkonnen/Sardaukar forces arrived. you will recall that Leto first found the body of Tuek before finding mortally wounded Mapes, and being tranquilized by Yueh. Tuek was to be their lifeline out of Dodge should everything go ill. I can think of no other reason why he was in the compound?
Also on the topic of Dune & Jews, I am presuming you didn't make it as far as Chapterhouse ( Dune 6)? In that book, many thousands of years after the events in Dune 1, we discover that the Bene Gesseritt have been secret allies of Jews since their inception.
ReplyDeleteOne of the character groups we follow in that book are a group of Jews, led by a Rabbi, who are protecting a Reverend Mother (and later just her memories via BG sharing) from a marauding new faction to enter the Old Empire. Very interesting indeed.
Such a wonderful series of books.
What a shame the quality has not been maintained in latter-day Dune novels released by Frank Herbert's son. Alas.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI think they're talking about wormsign. Which is a plume of sand (column of smoke), but also accompanied by lightning (pillar of fire), therefore visible by night and day.
ReplyDelete