It is time to say a bit more about Thufir Hawat. Thufir: mentat, assassin, served three generations of Atreides. On page 186, Paul recalls Thufir saying to him: "Parting with people is a sadness; a place is only place" (Dune, 40th Anniversary Edition, p. 186). This had been in response to a question from Paul about leaving Caladan for Arrakis. Wonderful words of wisdom.
I have already talked about the confrontation between Thufir and Lady Jessica which was one of the most intense confrontations yet. However, the chapter beginning on page 204 and ending on page 214, that is mostly composed of a confrontation/negotiation between Thufir and an unnamed Fremen, is a masterpiece worth reading over and over. In this chapter Thufir finds out that the Fremen can beat Sardaukar better than any other fighting force known to man. The mastery of the dialogue is truly in the spotlighting of the different cultural views that Thufir and the Fremen individually bring to the negotiations. I am just going to supply some of the quotes here but, really, go and read this chapter again and again.
The Fremen gestured to Hawat's tunic, the skin exposed beneath it. "You were caught in-sietch, without your suits. You must make a water decision, friend." (Dune, 40th Anniversary Edition, p. 207)
"Ah-h-h-h." The Fremen removed his hand from his weapon. "You think we have the Byzantine corruption. You don't know us. The Harkonnens have not water enough to buy the smallest child among us." (Dune, 40th Anniversary Edition, p. 207)
"It was a good fight," the Fremen said. "we lost only two men and spilled the water from more than a hundred of theirs."
There were Sardaukar at every gun, Hawat thought. This desert madman speaks casually of losing only two men against Sardaukar!
"We would not have lost the two except for those others fighting beside the Harkonnens," the Fremen said. "Some of those are good fighters." (Dune, 40th Anniversary Edition, p. 209)
Hawat's aide spoke slowly, disbelief in every word: "You ... captured Sardaukar?"
"Only three of them," the Fremen said. "they fought well." (Dune, 40th Anniversary Edition, p. 210)
"Stop right where you are!" Hawat barked. He fought down the sick fatigue that gripped his muscles. "These people respect our dead. Customs differ, but the meaning's the same."
"They're going to render Arkie down for his water," the man with the lasgun snarled.
"Is it that your men wish to attend the ceremony?" the Fremen asked.
He doesn't even see the problem, Hawat thought. The naivete of the Fremen was frightening. (Dune, 40th Anniversary Edition, p. 211)
"We will kill Harkonnens," the Fremen said. He grinned. "And Sardaukar." (Dune, 40th Anniversary Edition, p. 211)
Presently, dust settled. Only Fremen remained standing.
"They left only three men in their 'thopter," the Fremen beside Hawat said. "That was fortunate. I don't believe we had to damage the craft in taking it."
Behind Hawat, one of his men whispered: "Those were Sardaukar!"
"Did you notice how well they fought?" the Fremen asked. (Dune, 40th Anniversary Edition, p. 213)
Monday, June 20, 2011
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Dune - Entry #3
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.
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.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Dune - Entry #2
Where to begin? The story is just so intense in this book! So many wonderful scenes and dialogues. I had not recalled the supremely intense confrontation between Lady Jessica and Thufir Hawat when Jessica finds out that Thufir Hawat suspects she is a spy and traitor. Jessica superbly guides him through the logic that he should have seen for himself as a mentat! Let me insert here a bit of the exchange:
The shock must be severe and he's almost ready for it, she thought.
"You listen respectfully to me in Council, " she said, "yet you seldom heed my advice. Why?"
"I don't trust your Bene Gesserit motives," he said. "You may think you can look through a man; you may think you can make a man do exactly what you --"
"You poor fool, Thufir!" she raged.
He scowled, pushing himself back in the chair.
"Whatever rumors you've heard about our schools," she said, "the truth is far greater. If I wished to destroy the Duke ... or you, or any other person within my reach, you could not stop me."
SOOOOOOOO intense!!! I mean this is Thufir Hawat, the Mentat Master Assassin!!! As she built up the argument and the logic to get him to see that the rumor that she was a traitor was exactly that, and likely spread by a Harkonnen spy to discredit her and build suspicion within the Atreides ranks, she then commanded him with Voice. Here is the description of his reaction to that command and the ensuing dialogue ...
Hawat tried to swallow in a dry throat. her command had been regal, peremptory -- uttered in a tone and manner he had found irresistible. His body had obeyed her before he could think about it. Nothing could have prevented his response -- not logic, not passionate anger ... nothing. To do what she had done spoke of a sensitive, intimate knowledge of the person thus commanded, a depth of control he had not dreamed possible.
"I have said to you before that we should understand each other," she said. "I meant that you should understand me. I already understand you. And I tell you now that your loyalty to the Duke is all that guarantees your safety with me."
He stared at her, wet his lips with his tongue.
"If I desired a puppet, the Duke would marry me," she said. "He might even think he did it of his own free will."
The dialogue ends on page 154 and every single line is intense. I don't want to type in all those pages but if you get a chance, reread this part. So intense.
The shock must be severe and he's almost ready for it, she thought.
"You listen respectfully to me in Council, " she said, "yet you seldom heed my advice. Why?"
"I don't trust your Bene Gesserit motives," he said. "You may think you can look through a man; you may think you can make a man do exactly what you --"
"You poor fool, Thufir!" she raged.
He scowled, pushing himself back in the chair.
"Whatever rumors you've heard about our schools," she said, "the truth is far greater. If I wished to destroy the Duke ... or you, or any other person within my reach, you could not stop me."
Dune (40th Anniversary Edition), p. 152
SOOOOOOOO intense!!! I mean this is Thufir Hawat, the Mentat Master Assassin!!! As she built up the argument and the logic to get him to see that the rumor that she was a traitor was exactly that, and likely spread by a Harkonnen spy to discredit her and build suspicion within the Atreides ranks, she then commanded him with Voice. Here is the description of his reaction to that command and the ensuing dialogue ...
Hawat tried to swallow in a dry throat. her command had been regal, peremptory -- uttered in a tone and manner he had found irresistible. His body had obeyed her before he could think about it. Nothing could have prevented his response -- not logic, not passionate anger ... nothing. To do what she had done spoke of a sensitive, intimate knowledge of the person thus commanded, a depth of control he had not dreamed possible.
"I have said to you before that we should understand each other," she said. "I meant that you should understand me. I already understand you. And I tell you now that your loyalty to the Duke is all that guarantees your safety with me."
He stared at her, wet his lips with his tongue.
"If I desired a puppet, the Duke would marry me," she said. "He might even think he did it of his own free will."
Dune (40th Anniversary Edition), p. 153
The dialogue ends on page 154 and every single line is intense. I don't want to type in all those pages but if you get a chance, reread this part. So intense.
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