dune femei

8/18/2019 Dune Femei

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Masaryk University

Faculty of Arts

Department of English and American Studies

FRANK HERBERT'S HEROINES:

FEMALE CHARACTERS IN DUNE AND ITS FILM

ADAPTATIONS

(M. A. Thesis

Klára Knězková

Su!rv"#or: P$Dr% To&á Po#("l) Dr%

!rno "##$


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D!*lara+"on

I declare that I have worked on this M. A. Thesis independently, using only the primary and

secondary sources listed in the bibliography.

27 April 2007 in oln! "ukovsko

#l$ra #n%&kov$

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A*kno,l!-.!&!n+

'et me e(press many thanks to my supervisor )hr. Tom$* )osp!*il, r. who appeared to be a wise

and patient counselor. I particularly want to thank him +or valuable remarks and observations and

+or scholarly advice that aided to completion o+ this M. A. Thesis.


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Ta/l! o0 *on+!n+#

Introduction..........................................................................................................................................-

reation o+ the /orld o+ une ............................................................................................................

1emale oles in 'iterature and 1ilm..................................................................................................34

Male5dominated /orld o+ une.........................................................................................................26

"ene esserit......................................................................................................................................0

'ady 8essica........................................................................................................................................7

)rincess Irulan....................................................................................................................................-2

hani...................................................................................................................................................43

onclusion..........................................................................................................................................4

Appendices.........................................................................................................................................73

Appendi( A....................................................................................................................................72

Appendi( "....................................................................................................................................7

Appendi( ....................................................................................................................................76

/orks cited.........................................................................................................................................77

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In+ro-u*+"on

1rank 9erbert was an American :ournalist and science +iction writer who lived between years

3;20 and 3;4 and wrote several works that are popular among the sci5+i +ans. "ut in 3;4-, his

book called Dune was published and it created a cult. It was so success+ul because 9erbert created

not only the story and main characters, but the whole world. 9e made up the universe that is +ull o+

people with e(traordinary abilities and secret plans, and also o+ creatures and techni


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miniseries. A+ter its great success, 9arrison made miniseries also +rom the two se


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opportunities to participate on the rule are very limited. In +act, their only chance to get the

in+luence is through the sisterhood o+ "ene esserit. The members o+ the "ene esserit have many

e(traordinary abilities and they are trained in mani+old ways. These abilities and training are very

important +or the story itsel+ as well as the in+luence and power that women have, so I will describe

them in detail.

The last part o+ my work will consist o+ chapters devoted to the individual +emale characters. I

will analy&e the roles they seem to ac


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Cr!a+"on o0 +$! 1orl- o0 Dune

At the beginning o+ my work I would like to mention some +acts about 1rank 9erbert and also to

sketch out the history and the plot o+ the Dune. The way +rom the +irst thoughts to the manuscript

and then to the published book was long and complicated. and the process +rom the book to its +irst

+ilm adaptation was not simple, either. There had been two unsuccess+ul attempts to put the book on

screen and the second one was well advanced, when it was terminated. There was number o+

+amous and interesting people willing to participate, so, I will present very brie+ history o+ this

attempt and then I will continue with avid 'ynchDs +ilm. 'ynch had many problems adapting the

book and the +ilm was not such a success as everybody hoped. Bi(teen years later, Dune was

adapted +or the screen once more. It was directed by 8ohn 9arrison in a +orm o+ a T miniseries and

the commercial success was enormous. A+ter the tracing o+ the development o+ the book and its

adaptations, I will summari&e the plot o+ the novel and introduce the main characters. I think this

summary may become use+ul basis +or analysis o+ concrete scenes and characters.

The author o+ Dune was born as 1rank )atrick 9erbert on =ctober , 3;20 in Tacoma,

/ashington. 9e was determined to become a writer +rom early childhood, and there+ore, it is no

surprise that his +irst :ob a+ter the high school was in newspapers. Then the /orld /ar II came and

he le+t his writing desk +or service in E.B. Favy. A+ter the war he attended creative writing classes

at Eniversity o+ /ashington, where he met "everly Ann Btuart. Bhe became his li+e partner and

inspiration, and they got married in the 3;64. Their relationship was strong and 9erbert, :ust a+ter

her death, wrote? G/e had moments o+ boredom, +ears and pains. "ut there was always time +or

laughterH 9erbert, A+terwordJ. "everlyDs personality and their caring relationship were inspiration

+or the character o+ 'ady 8essica and also +or her relationship with the uke 'eto. 9erbertDs +riends

called "everly Ga guardian angel, K...L who protected K9erbertL and his writing time at all costs +or

almost +our decadesH ansom, 6J. In principle, she enabled 1rank to devote all his time to writing


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and research in various +ields by supporting the +amily.

A+ter their wedding, 9erbert returned to :ournalism and worked in several :ournals and

maga&ines. 9is concern with science +iction developed in early +orties and among his +avorite

authors he mentioned 9einlein, 9. . /ells and 8ack ance. In the early +i+ties, he started writing

his own science +iction stories but he was still interested in the other authorsD works, in an interview

+or Vertex he said? GI read the +ield when I started writing it. I wanted to see what was being doneH

9erbert, InterviewJ. 9e became known and his works were critical success. In mid +i+ties he began

to think about a long novel about dangers superheroes or messiahs could bring to ordinary people.

9e thought that Gpeople tend to give every decision5making capacity to any leader who can wrap

himsel+ in the myth +abric o+ the societyH 9erbert, Gune enesisHJ and this tendency is +re


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serial rights when it runs so longH 9erbert, T 204J )roblems with the length occurred several

times on the novelDs way to readers and later to viewers. According to The Road to Dune, the

average science5+iction novel at the time had +rom -0,000 to 7-,000 words and Dune approached

200,000. The agent sent a copy o+ the manuscript to 8ohn ampbell, an editor o+ the +amous science

+iction maga&ine Analogue, who immediately got interested. 9erbert agreed to prepare his work +or

a serial publication and was greatly impressed by the cover o+ the +irst issue by 8ohn Bchoenherr

see 1igure 3 in Appendi( AJ. "ook I o+ the novel, nowadays called Dune, was published as Gune

/orldH in three issues +rom ecember 3;4 to 1ebruary 3;46. The response +rom readers was

great, so the remaining two books o+ the novel were published as the second serial called G)rophet

o+ uneH in +ive subse


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his work. Bo, together with another established science +iction author, #evin 8. Anderson, he wrote

G)relude to uneH and G'egends o+ uneH, which both precede the lassic Dune novels written by

1rank 9erbert. All the books are based on 1rank 9erbertCs notes, unused chapters and outlines. In

the )re+ace to The Road to Dune they described +inding these materials? GIt was like +inding

a buried treasure chest. Actually, they were cardboard bo(es stu++ed +ull o+ +olders, manuscripts,

correspondence, drawings, and loose notes. Bome o+ the bo( corners were sagging, crumpled by the

weight o+ their contents or partially crushed +rom languishing under a stack o+ heavy ob:ectsH

9erbert, T 7J. The last se


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when he prepared the storyboard o+ the entire script. There was another man hired +or the design o+

all the cra+ts and painter 9 iger was creating the home world o+ 9arkonens. 'ater he used his

ideas when doing Alien. The special e++ects were the ne(t samuraiDs concern and )ink 1loyd agreed

to do almost all the music +or the +ilm. 8odorowsky did not want to respect the novel, he wanted to

recreate it 8odorowsky, J. Bo, his @mperor should be completely insane, living in an arti+icial

golden palace in Gsymbiosis with a robot identical to him. The resemblance is so per+ect that the

citi&ens never know i+ they are opposite the man or the machineH 8odorowsky, 7J. The director

wanted Balvador al! +or the role o+ the @mperor and al! agreed to participate in the +ilm, but he

re


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+or the editing o+ the +ilm. "ut even a+ter the deletions in the script, the +ilm was too long. The curse

o+ the length reappeared. The +ilm was cut to appro(imately hal+ its length and this version was,

a+ter the premiere on ecember , 3;6, sent to the cinemas. 'ynchDs style is brutal and artistic, and

together with cuts that had robbed the +ilm o+ continuity, they made it hard to digest. There+ore no

success +ollowed, and even the most devoted +ans were disappointed and claimed the +ilm to deviate

+rom the original too much.

In the 3;;0s, ichard ubinstein bought the television rights to Dune, which were +ree because

ino e 'aurentiis never thought they would be o+ any pro+it. ubinstein made an agreement with

the Bci51i hannel to +ilm a si(5hour miniseries and he hired 8ohn 9arrison as a script writer and a

director. Thanks to the length o+ the adaptation, there was much more space to picture all the layers

and ideas +rom 9erbertDs book. "oth ubinstein and 9arrison do never speak about their work as

about remake o+ 'ynchCs +ilm. In 1rit&Ds article G9arrison calls Kthe miniseriesL a faithful

interpretation, not a word5+or5word, literal adaptation. The screenwriter5director made some

changes he +elt would accurately convey the spirit o+ the story in spots where the details were

lacking or impliedH 1rit& 32J. All the shots were taken in studios in )rague and the cast and the

crew were +rom all over the world. irector has described that as a O"abel towerD and has claimed

that this multicultural environment helped him to create similarly diverse world on the screen. The

miniseries was +irst broadcast in the EBA on ecember , 2000 and then it was released on home

. The problem with length was +inally solved and the miniseries became very popular. In 200,

se it contains the whole universe governed by

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the )adishah @mperor. The story begins when the @mperor gives planet Arrakis as a +ie+ to the

power+ul 9ouse Atreides. Arrakis, called sometimes une, is a dangerous and une(plored desert

planet, but on the other hand, it is also the source o+ the great pro+it because only there spice P

melange 5 that prolongs li+e is mined. The members o+ the "ene esserit sisterhood need it to

access their ancestorsD pasts and it also enables traveling between the planets. The )adishah

@mperorDs aim is not to reward the uke 'eto Atreides +or his services, but to terminate the 9ouse

Atreides. The uke became too popular among the other reat 9ouses and the rumors spread that

his armyDs level is well beyond the others. In this scenario, "aron ladimir 9arkonnen, the +ormer

ruler o+ Arrakis and the mortal enemy o+ the uke 'eto, should destroy the 9ouse Atreides with the

secret help o+ the @mperorDs elite troops. /ith the help o+ a traitor, r. Queh, the ukeDs physician,

9arkonensD army gains control o+ Arrakis and the uke is killed. "ut at the last moment, r. Queh

provides )aul, the ukeDs son and the last o+ Atreides, and 'ady 8essica, the ukeDs bound

concubine, opportunity to +lee away to the desert.

The 1remen, nation living in the uneDs deserts, have adapted to the harsh environment. Their

culture is on relatively high level, their numbers are much larger than the most daring estimates and

their religion is based on the prophecy that some day, a man will come +rom an outer world and will

change Arrakis to a green and +lowering planet. They are preparing +or this day by gathering water

in great subterranean reservoirs. Thanks to this prophecy 8essica and )aul +ound a hiding place

among the 1remen and )aul becomes their leader against the 9ouse 9arkonnen. Ender the

in+luence o+ the melange all around him, )aulDs supernatural abilities, supported by superb training,

wake up and he becomes to be able to see both the past and the +uture. 9e becomes )aul MuadDib

or Esul and +alls in love with the 1remen girl, hani. 'ady 8essica undergoes a dangerous religious

ritual and becomes the everend Mother o+ the 1remen. "ut this procedure in+luences also a +etus

in her womb and there+ore her and the uke 'etoDs daughter Alia is born with an awaken

consciousness. Bhe has memories o+ all the everend Mothers be+ore her and so she is seen as

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weird by the 1remen. The 1remen prepare +or the +inal battle with the 9arkonnens and they are

sabotaging the spice mining.

The )adishah @mperor is disturbed by the decrease in the spice production and he is under the

pressure o+ all the other groups depending on spice, hence, he decides to step in and arrives to

Arrakis. uring the great storm, the 1remen led by the uke )aul MuadDib attack the 9arkonnensD

positions and also the @mperorDs ship. They win the battle and take the )adishah @mperor as a

hostage. The 9ouse 9arkonnen is terminated because Alia kills "aron ladimir 9arkonnen by a

poisoned needle and )aul kills his heir 1eyd5autha 9arkonen in a single combat. The @mperor is

+orced to relin


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F!&al! Rol!# "n L"+!ra+ur! an- F"l&

The world o+ 1rank 9erbertDs novel Dune is male dominated and the women are presented very

scarcely there. At +irst sight, these +ew +emales +it in the roles, that they are supposed to play, very

well. "ut in my opinion, it re


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summed up as +ollows? Gi+ men help with a wise advice and with their knowledge, then +emale helps

by cooking and taking care o+ childrenHataulinaJ. Bo the man uses his potential to active help, but

the woman is supposed to have a potential only to stand aside and take care o+ +ood and children.

'ooking a+ter the house, +ood and children is


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GgoodH mother role as she is ugly, unkind and solitary opposed to a beauti+ul and kind mother living

in the center o+ the +amily. everend Mother aius 9elen Mohiam +its in the role o+ the =ld Maid

very well, in accordance with it, she is called Gold witchH several times in book. Bhe +illed her li+e

with "ene esserit purposes and she is a cold solitary +igure, clear opposite to 8essica. "ut she tries

not only to look into others peopleDs lives, but to take them in control, too. Bhe is not so passive as

she is supposed to be.

Fe(t pair o+ roles, which are actually opposites, is the irgin and the 1allen /oman. According

to Bavitt, the irgin is sometimes called Gthe good angelH and Gis always chaste, innocent and

ignorant o+ worldly thingsH 32J. Bhe is pure, sometimes dressed in white or similar light colors to

emphasi&e her innocence and to let her stand above other women. Bhe is absolutely unaware o+ her

own se(uality and men worship her. Bhe is like a child that Gnever grows up KandL whose +airness

and sweetness are revered by allH Bavitt 32J. 9er deeds are strictly limited by her innocence which

implies narrowed li+e e(perience and also lower intelligence. Bhe may have close relation to nature

and thus she can use herbs and her inner powers to heal. In Dune, the princess Irulan can be

regarded as the irgin. Bhe is standing on the pedestal o+ her +atherDs throne and all the men look up

to her. "ut later in the book, and in 9arrisonDs +ilm even more signi+icantly, she reveals that her

intelligence is much higher than it is appropriate +or this role. The irgin can develop into the

Mother within the course o+ the work and then Gshe brings li+e and she nurtures itH Bavitt 32J. This

li+e giving and com+orting is a +ul+illment o+ her li+e. "ut she can also become her opposite, the

1allen /oman.

The 1allen /oman is also called BeductressRoddess or the /hore in BavittDs classi+ication o+

the +emale roles. onnotations o+ high se(ual attraction and beauty are shared by all these labels

and they are the most important attributes o+ this stereotypical role. 'ike the irgin she is adored by

men, but it is done Gin an earthy wayH Bavitt 3J. There are two types o+ the 1allen /oman. 1irst

possibility is that she was the irgin, but she GKhasL +allen prey to the power o+ some manH Bavitt

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3J. In the case she may keep something +rom her virginal character, e.g. her close relation to nature

and especially her li+e5giving power. Becond, she might GcallH +or her +all and really seduce the

man. In this case she is seen as evil, strongly despised. Bhe is always considered to be Gpleasure

producingH Bavitt 3J and secretly envied by other women. Bhe is de+ined by her se(uality in all

her relationships and she never gain a status o+ Mother or /i+e.

All o+ the described women roles have common characteristics. Among the most important ones

is passivity as Gdirect opposition to menDs activity and agressionH Bavitt J. /hen the woman tries

to do something actively, she is regarded as a shrew P the GbadH Mother or a /hore P the 1allen

/oman. 1emale subordination and admiration o+ males are resulting +rom the passivity and vice

versa they are strengthening the notion o+ women passively standing out o+ the course o+ events and

only observing. /omen are there to help and admire greatness o+ the men and their epochal deeds,

who are changing the world and writing history. They are also seen as +ormless. Bavitt describes it

as an association between a so+t body and a so+t mind, so, the +ormlessness implies in+eriority o+

intelligence.

1emale thinking is supposed to be less rational and much more in+luenced by +eelings and

moods. This supposed irrationality supports the belie+ that women are much more spiritual and

religious. escription o+ the +emale society o+ "ene esserit in Dune call up an image o+ the secret

religious order whose members have e(traordinary powers and are bound by strong discipline. "ene

esserits stay in the shade and they use their instincts. They are contrasted to Mentats, as Timothy

=Deilly highlights in his book about 1rank 9erbert, who are called Ghuman computersH because

they Ghave been trained to store vast amounts o+ data and to calculate probabilities on the basis o+

past per+ormanceH =Deilly, ch 6J. Their maleness is thus connected with rationality and precise

computation and opposed to +emalesD intuition. 1rom all these characteristics, it is obvious that

range o+ the womenDs roles is very narrow and their opportunities in works o+ literature are strictly

limited.

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1emale roles in the movies are in+luenced by similar stereotypes as in literature.)artly because

they are created in the same social environment and partly because the vast ma:ority o+ screenplays

is based on certain literary works. "ut a+ter the conversion o+ the te(t into the +ilm, a viewer is

con+ronted with a concrete appearance o+ the characters, there is no place le+t +or his imagination

and so he is not only +ollowing the story, but also watching the people on the screen. There+ore,

most o+ the +eminist +ilm critics see woman as Ga passive recipient o+ the aggressive male lookH

)enley 7J. In this characteristics, the male activity and +emale passivity are highlighted and they

are seen as the de+ining +actors. Bo the Gpleasure in lookingH, which 'aura Mulvey describes in her

Gisual )leasure and Farrative inemaH is?

split between activeRmale and passiveR+emale. The determining male ga&e pro:ects its

phantasy on to the +emale +igure which is styled accordingly. In their traditional e(hibitionist

role women are simultaneously looked at and displayed, with their appearance coded +or

strong visual and erotic impact. 42J

According to this theory, the passivity o+ women is much strengthened in the +ilm. They only are

there as ob:ects and men, both in audience and in the +ilm, are active. haracters in the +ilm are

acting within the story itsel+ and the audience is watching them. Mulvey discussed the problem o+

women in audience in her later works and she stated that women are allowed to ac


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break womanH e(presses, how emphasi&ed is the outer presentation o+ women in a +ilm. The beauty

is the most important


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personality is narrowed down to the /i+e and later Mother role P even without +ormal marriage.

In addition to roles o+ victims or wi+es, women may be presented as innocent girls. Their

innocence is usually connected with lower age and thus, similarly to the irgin in literature, with

lack o+ e(perience. It is very o+ten portrayed in children, mostly little girls, or very young ladies. In

both Dune +ilms, Alia is a small girl P beauti+ul and cute at +irst sight P and she is automatically

e(pected to be innocent, while she is not. Bhe is opposing the prere


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think hani and 'ady 8essica can be categori&ed as the MothersR/i+es. Fe(t role that was identi+ied

is the =ld Maid. Bhe is old, se(ually unattractive an o+ten +rustrated. Bhe tries to +ill her lonesome

li+e with religion or other peopleDs lives. everend Mother aius 9elen Mohiam is per+ect e(ample

o+ this stereotype. The last two roles may be contrasted. The irgin is pure, beauti+ul and worshiped

in a spiritual way as an opposition to the 1allen /oman that is de+ined by her se(uality and so she is

adored by men in an earthy way. The innocence as core characteristics o+ the irgin is highlighted

in the +ilms. It is represented mainly by innocent girls or children. In the both Dune +ilms Alia is

such an e(ample. The princess Irulan may be seen as the traditional irgin both in book and in the

+ilms. 1rom this summary, it is obvious that the roles o+ women are strictly circumscribed and very

limited. 1rank 9erbertDs Dune is no e(ception +rom this scheme at +irst sight. This world is clearly

male5dominated and women only have restricted opportunities there. "ut as I :ust +oreshadowed,

the deeper look will reveal that +emale characters do not +it in their roles so per+ectly and that they

have much greater powers and in+luence than their roles imply.

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Mal!2-o&"na+!- 1orl- o0 Dune

1rank 9erbert in his Dune created an easily believable universe +ull o+ planets, societies and

people. The structure o+ the empire that uni+ies the known universe is similar to that o+ the Middle

Ages. The most obvious connotation o+ this historical period are strong knights on high5steppers

+ighting in tournaments and the ladies watching and admiring them. Bome o+ them may even +aint

when their +avorite is in danger. This description is a bit e(aggerated, but the world o+ Dune still

seems to be absolutely male5dominated and women seem to have only marginal roles, being mostly

accessories o+ their mightier counterparts, there. In this chapter, I would like to e(plore, how 1rank

9erbert describes the society o+ his universe and how it is pictured in both +ilms. I will also mention

the o++icial role that is ascribed to women in this society.

The basic social structure o+ 9erbertDs complicated world is similar to the +eudal Middle Ages.

The connotations o+ the Middle Ages are strengthened also by the le(is that 9erbert uses in Dune.

In heroic poetry o+ the Middle Ages, the authors used kennings, the +igures o+ speech that

substituted name o+ thing or a person, to avoid repetition and mostly to adhere to the rules o+

alliterative verse. And 9erbert similarly talks about blood as about Gthe bodyDs waterH or about

melange spiceJ as about Gthe prolonger o+ li+eH or Gthe giver o+ health.H This +igurative speech

+urther supports the readerDs impression o+ the old times. 8ack 9and in his article identi+ies this as a

Gpast5as5+uture e++ectH 26J. All the known universe in Dune is united under the rule o+ the )adishah

@mperor. In the +irst


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is de+ined by the traditional means o+ an active behavior and aggression. "ut his powers are not

limitless, they are balanced against the 'andsraad, kind o+ Ga pre5Magna arta parliamentH 9and

26J, and the Bpacing uild that holds Gmonopoly on space travel and upon international bankingH

-;2J.

The 'andsraad unites the reat 9ouses and represents politics o+ their male leaders. There is no

e(ception, women, even the noble ones +rom the reat 9ouses, are omitted +rom the rule. Armies o+

the reat 9ouses together keep an important balance, where? Gthe military +orces o+ the 'andsraad

reat 9ouses KareL on one side, the Bardaukar and their supporting levies on the otherH -;J.

There+ore, nobody is able to do anything without causing a reaction. There are plans within plans

within plans because everybody tries to +oresee the +uture steps o+ their enemies as well as allies.

Among the reat 9ouses o+ 'andsraad, there are the 9ouse Atreides and the 9ouse 9arkonnen,

they are mortal enemies and their mutual hatred roots deep into history and it is one o+ the moving

+orces o+ the story.

The hierarchical structure o+ the society creates social classes as we know them +rom the Middle

Ages. The reat or Ma:orJ 9ouses are the highest nobility that administrate planetary +ie+dom, and

there is also a lower nobility, the Minor 9ouses. The noblemen have the power over people on their

land and their dominance is absolute. 'oren&o iTommaso in his article remarks that? G The tenets

o+ the twin pillars o+ ine


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in +arewell. r. Queh, his teacher, had hinted that the +au+reluches class system was not rigidly

guarded on ArrakisH 3-J. It is impossible +or )aul, an heir o+ one o+ the most power+ul 9ouses, to

meet with common people. Bervants or soldiers he meets on aladan have to be loyal to the 9ouse

Atreides. =n the contrary to the book, in 8ohn 9arrisonDs miniseries, Arrakis is not pictured as a

world with looser rules. The distance between the whole Atreides +amily and the local people

mostly the 1remenJ is emphasi&ed during their +irst way to the palace in Arakeen. The Atreides

travel in com+ortable and obviously air5conditioned couch and they watch common people standing

along the road in the dust under the hot sun. The windows clearly divide the two worlds and keep

both the 1remen and the dukeDs +amily within their places.

According to his status, )aul is taught by the best o+ his +atherDs warriors and commanders.

"ecause he is a man and an heir, he has to be able to win all his +ights, the physical and the political

ones too. In the book and both +ilms, this emphasis is shown by the scene o+ practice in a single

combat be+ore the Atreides leave +or Arrakis. )aulDs +ight with urney 9alleck, the master o+ Arms,

is +rightening because urney seems to endanger )aulDs li+e, but it is a part o+ practice and )aul is

shown there as a man, in accordance with the stereotypes, +ighting and almost winning. In avid

'ynchDs +ilm, the importance o+ this scene is even greater because it is the +irst scene where )aul

appears. And there+ore, he is de+ined as a +ighter and a male and not as much as a thinker or his

motherDs son. 9is relationship with mother is not so strong and that is the reason, why 'ady 8essica

does not play so important role in 'ynchDs Dune. Bimilarly to her, all the other +emale characters are

suppressed as I will show later in my work.

The third power group, which was only mentioned in my work yet, is the Bpacing uild. 9and

calls it GThe glue which holds the )adishah @mpire together on an interplanetary levelH 26J.

/ithout the uild the )adishah @mperor would not be able to control his @mpire and send his army

o+ Bardaukar where he needs to restore order. iTommaso says that GIn +act, it was a uild5"..

compact that placed Bhaddam I on the throne ... .H Bo the @mperor is bound to the uild a lot. The

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noble 9ouses both Ma:or and Minor depend on the uild +or their pro+its because they trade with

all the 9ouses on di++erent planets. The trade holds the Eniverse together, as the uke clari+ies to

)aul in one o+ the deleted scenes +rom Dune? G@ach world, each group o+ worlds, has something

uni


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o++icially, there is no place +or +emales in reigning, still, they are not out o+ it completely. In

9arrisonDs Dune, this summary is uttered by r. Queh, more precisely by his hologram, during the

)aulDs lesson in the opening scene o+ the +ilm. The authority and knowledge is given back to the

man.

Bo what is the o++icial role o+ women in the Dune society /hat are they allowed to do i+ they

are banished +rom the participation in the 'andsraad or the uild and +rom the )adishah @mperorDs

throne without any doubts, too. They are le+t with two o+ the most traditional areas o+ in+luence?

household and religion. /ithin the +irst one they are valued as bearers and nurturers o+ li+e,

landladies and companions. "ut their greatest value, especially when they are daughters, is that they

can be married and so the new alliances can be established or the old enmities conciliated. This role

o+ the bond,which also typical +or the Middle Ages, is represented by the princess Irulan. At the end

o+ Dune, she is married to )aul to make his accession to the )adishah @mperors throne legal and

smooth. In the 9arrissonDs +ilm, this IrulanDs role is emphasi&ed by her +atherDs disappointment by

her se( and his clear statement that the most important thing is to +ind her a suitable husband. Fone

o+ the above mentioned roles brings women a respect. They are not taken seriously, they are thought

to be sensitive as opposite to maleDs rationality. It can be seen in the ukeDs carelessness when he

speaks with )aul about the everend MotherDs warnings. 9e says? GonDt let a womanDs +ears cloud

your mind. Fo woman wants her loved ones endangered. The hand behind those warnings was your

motherDs. Take this as a sign o+ her love +or usH -7J. In this case GwomanDs +earsH are not only the

+ears that a woman has, but also the +ears that are unreasoning and a bit absurd. They are very o+ten

based only on +eelings and instincts and there+ore men do not believe them and laugh at them. The

only


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participating in the +ights +or power, they are mostly staying in their households and taking care.

/hen the )adishah @mperor comes to Arrakis to crush the 1remen rebellion, he takes with him his

whole household and )aul comments it? GTheyDve even brought their women, K... .L Ah5h5h, my dear

@mperor, how con+ident you areH -34J. It is clear that he considers women very weak. There+ore,

according to this opinion, they should be shielded and taken as +ar +rom +ight as possible. Taken,

because they are not supposed to have the will o+ their own.

As I have already mentioned, the second area o+ in+luence, which are women allowed to

participate in, is religion. According to 9and? Gwomen have always e(erted o++icial or uno++icial

power in the area o+ religionH 2-J. onsidering this, the 9erbertDs world is not so surprising. 9e

created a "ene esserit order, the secret sisterhood, hidden in the background o+ all the plans and

diplomacy. The "ene esserit complements the tripod composed +rom the @mperor, the 'andsraad

and the Bpacing uild. It seems to be a religious order, but powers and abilities o+ its members are

much greater and there+ore I will e(plore them in greater detail in the ne(t chapter.

2;


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B!n! 3!##!r"+

I think it is impossible to speak about women in Dune and omit the "ene esserit. Most o+ the

+emale characters, who appear in the book, are members o+ this society and this membership de+ines

these women to great e(tent. It gives them unusual abilities and also limits them by its rules. @(cept

hani, all o+ the remaining +emales, who I would like to study closer, are "ene esserits, but 'ady

8essica has the greatest space in the book and her abilities can un+old in its +ull scale. There+ore, I

will use her as an e(ample o+ all the "ene esserit techni


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will have born Ka childL wellDH /ikipedia, G=rigin o+ the nameHJ. The +irst possible translation is

obviously tied with the strong discipline o+ the order and with the harsh training o+ its members.

The last one sounds interesting and perhaps also a bit awkward in a connection with a religious

order, but the "ene esserit is not a typical one because it possesses only some +eatures o+ a typical

order. =ne o+ the main aims, the girls are trained +or, is to bear a child to a man they have been told

to and do it in proper time according to the "ene esseritDs plans. There+ore, the last translation o+

the name is a bit awkward when talking about a religious order, but it will be surprisingly +itting

when I will speak about their breeding program.

There is one more connection o+ the "ene esserit with religion, but it is absolutely turned up

side down. Members o+ an arm o+ the order called Missionaria )rotectiva travel throughout the

universe and modi+y e(isting religions by implanting prophecies and messiahs into them. There are

two purposes +or doing this. The +irst one helps the "ene esserit to be a political +orce because

through religion, they can control and in+luence the whole society and at the same time stay in the

shade. The second purpose is more clear and obvious. @very "ene esserit knows prophecies and

means used by Missionaria )rotectiva and thus when endangered she could use them and gain

security among the people. 'ady 8essica takes this advantage when she and )aul are +orced to

escape to the desert and they need to secure their place among the 1remen, desert people. )aul is

considered to be Mahdi and she needs to prove that they really are the mother and son that are

supposed to come according to the legend. Thanks to Missionaria )rotectiva, she knows the chant

that is embedded in 1remenDs religion and by producing it right she secures their position. A+ter the

chant? Gshe +elt cynical bitterness at what she had done. KAnd thought?L &ur Missionaria Prote%ti$a

seldo# fails A pla%e 'as prepared for us in this 'ilderness The pra(er of salat has %ar$ed out our

hiding pla%eH 60J. Bhe is disgusted by the "ene esserit methods and +eels that she is not +rank to

the 1remen, but on the other hand, she knows very well that this deception saved her and )aulDs

lives. Bo Missionaria )rotective proves its importance.

3


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I described the "ene esserit as a religious order, but it is evident that this characteristic is

everything, but de+inite. It is caused by the complicated essence o+ this religious order. A more

precise term to describe it is probably a word sisterhood that I used at the beginning and which

meaning has not been so narrowed in our culture. The rest o+ the "ene esserit interests should be

e(plored to get deeper knowledge and more complete image. 1re


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the child they will bear. This is a remarkable ability that makes their biological breeding program

possible and, in +act, the whole story originates in it. 'ady 8essica was commanded to have a

daughter with the uke 'eto Atreides, but she did not obey and bore a son P )aul. =ther members

o+ the "ene esserit obey the instructions there are given by the sisterhood and thus +or e(ample the

)adishah @mperor Bhaddam I has no male heir.

The control over internal organs involves also a control over chemical processes in the body and

any "ene esserit can change chemical structures o+ substances included in her body. This ability

allows 8essica to stay alive when she had to drink the O/ater o+ 'i+eD, poisoned and drug containing

substance, to prove her e(ceptionalness and make her and )aulDs position among the 1remen more

secure. Bhe becomes impaired by the drug and thus she sinks to hersel+ to con+ront her inner sel+.

Bhe is aware o+ the danger and she is looking +or it in the water she drank?

she began recogni&ing +amiliar structures, atomic linkages? a carbon atom here, helical

wavering S a glucose molecule. An entire chain o+ molecules con+ronted her, and she

recogni&ed a protein S a methyl5protein con+iguration.

Ah5h5h

It was a soundless mental sigh within her as she saw the nature o+ the poison.

/ith her psychokinestehetic probing, she moved into it, shi+ted an o(ygen mote, allowed

another carbon mote to link, reattached a linkage o+ o(ygen S hydrogen. 605;J

9er search and +ollowing changes illustrate the level on which a "ene esserit is able to in+luence

processes and +unctions o+ her body and it also shows that they are deeply educated in various

+ields, including +or e(ample chemistry.

All the "ene esserit physical abilities are based on the e(treme concentration. The members o+

the sisterhood use their consciousness, but they are very well aware o+ unconsciousness. As

=Deilly remarks they are Gconscious by choiceH =Deilly, ch 6J. They are able to +ocus on

important things even though they are presented only as minor details. This ability, which is


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ac


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I must not +ear. 1ear is the mind5killer. 1ear is the little5death that brings total obliteration. I

will +ace my +ear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I

will turn the inner eye to see its path. /here the +ear has gone there will be nothing. =nly I

will remain. 247J

The purpose o+ these words is special. They should +ocus oneDs thoughts on one stable point to

allow oneDs mind to start working again. /hen a "ene esserit is stressed and she cannot establish

her calm only by her will, the 'itany is a power+ul device. It could be learned easily and its +orm

supports the +low o+ the words. Thus it is not complicated to go through it even when the mind is

clouded by a +ear. Moreover, the minor variations o+ the words are not important and they appear

throughout the book. The most important words are preserved in all the versions and the power o+

the 'itany is hidden mainly in its rhythm and sound.

The word O+earD appears several times in the litany and I think it is because it should be

pronounced to be made trivial. As I remarked earlier, special words have special occasions to be

said and some o+ them should never be pronounced. /hen the word is pronounced many times, it is

de+eated and its power is diminished. =ne had to con+ront onesel+ with the word and its meaning to

say it aloud and when he or, in the case under


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+rightens them and they are unable to +ace it. The #wisat& 9aderach would be able to see male as

well as +emale pasts, to look straight at this horri+ying place and doing so he would open Gthe

depths o+ active male psychology as well as the receptive +emaleH =Deilly, ch J. Bo he would

interconnect the two poles male and +emale, and make activity and passivity one thing. "ene

esserits take advantage o+ their skills in controlling other people, but most usually they use

traditional OweaponsD as +emale beauty and en:oyable behavior. These, together with their ability to

choose their childDs se( and an almost absolute obedience o+ members, allow them to carry on with

the scheme and to come very close to the intended end. "ut, as I have already pointed out, the

obedience o+ the "ene esserit members is not absolute. 'ady 8essica did not +ollow the plan and

bore a son by this means she destroyed the complicated breeding scheme and opened number o+ the

other possibilities. Thanks to the sisterhood and their care+ul plans and precious manipulation,

)aulDs genes are almost these o+ the #wisat& 9aderach. "ut because o+ his motherDs will and

disobedience, he is not the #wisat& 9aderach the "ene esserit envisioned. 9e is not their willing

tool.

In this chapter, I have demonstrated how important and power+ul the "ene esserit is. They are

able to in+luence the people and their opinions and make them to act in the pre+erred ways.

There+ore, they can secretly shape the world o+ Dune, in which they o++icially have no powers. They

have really mighty techni


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La-4 5!##"*a

In the preceding chapter, I used the character o+ 'ady 8essica as a representative o+ the "ene

esserit. I think, she is the most important +emale character in Dune because the area o+ her action

is the widest one among the limited arenas o+ all the women. Bhe is a mother o+ )aul, the main hero,

and there+ore her position in the society is high. "ut on the other hand, she is de+ined by her

motherhood,which limits her at the same time. Bo +irst, I would like to show how smoothly she +its

in the MotherR/i+e role and that she carries the de+ining +eatures o+ this role that were described in

hapter 2. "ut I think that even though she +ul+ills the roleDs de+inition so well, she counteracts it at

the same time. uring the course o+ the novel, there are places and scenes where 'ady 8essica acts

in a clearly opposite way to the de+ined stereotype. Bo, I would like to prove that the seeing 'ady

8essica only as the Mother o+ a hero is incomplete and show that she is much more active and

power+ul than it seems at the +irst sight.

In the chapter on +emale stereotypical roles, I have de+ined the MotherR/i+e role. /oman in this

role was described as passive and submissive in the relationship to her man. Bhe was also de+ined as

li+e producing and nurturing, caring and having concern +or her children. And she also should be

kind and beauti+ul. All these +eatures can be discovered in the character o+ 'ady 8essica and they

were more or less precisely trans+erred on the screen. Bo, I will demonstrate that she is assigned the

MotherR/i+e role in the book and in the both +ilm adaptations.

The passivity is the main attribute o+ all the womenDs appearance in the books or +ilms. "ut in the

case o+ the MotherR/i+e, her passivity mani+ests itsel+ especially in her relationships with her

children or husband. Bhe is +re


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A+ter the +irst night in the desert, her son gives orders to get on the walk again?

O)ass up the pack,D it was )aulDs voice, low and guarded.

Bhe moved to obey, heard the water liter:ons gurgle as she shoved the pack across the +loor.

Bhe peered upward, saw the )aul +ramed against stars.

K...L

O9urry up,D )aul said. OI want to collapse the tent.D 260J

=bviously, he himsel+ has decided they have rela(ed enough and they will continue in their run and

she obeys him without a


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+rom the dining hall where there are 5D

OMy lord )leaseD

OThe choice is between your digestion and my ancestral dignity, my dear,D he said. OThey

will hang in the dining hall.D

Bhe sighed. OQes, my 'ord.D 4-J

It is clear that the uke decides according to his interests and to preserve his ancestral dignity, and

8essica obeys his orders. 9er interests are not taken into the consideration, even though, he knows

about them. "ut they are seen as being in+erior and absolutely irrelevant. 8essica does not +ight

against her partner. Bhe calmly and humbly agrees with him although it means she will have to

su++er the presence o+ these arti+acts during every o++icial meal. Bhe submits to the uke 'eto and

stands to her MotherR/i+e role. In the 9arrisonDs +ilm, there is no such a debate and so 8essica is

shown as much more independent, but only to a certain degree. The roles in their relationship are

distributed di++erently. It is 8essicaCs task to change the palace into a com+ortable living place and

'eto is in charge o+ the protecting it. This distribution is also a sign o+ 8essicaDs role because the

care about the household is among the MotherR/i+eDs tasks. And so, the independence is not so

great as it may seem.

The li+e producing and nurturing


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accordance with her role, 8essica uses a great part o+ her potential to nurture her children. 1or the

'ynchDs Dune, scene o+ AliaDs birth was +ilmed. 1inally, it was not included in the cinema version o+

the +ilm because o+ the e(tensive cutting, but I think, it can be taken as a prove that 'ynch wanted to

emphasi&e 8essicaDs li+e producing ability and thus her role o+ the Mother.

Aside +rom the physical nurturing, children need care in various di++erent +ields. @specially, they

should be protected +rom all the dangers. This care and e++orts to shield her child or children and

also the concern +or them are another de+ining +actor o+ the MotherR/i+e. In Dune, 8essica

+re


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The last de+ining +eature o+ woman, I would like to mention, is beauty. It appears in the +eatures

o+ all o+ the stereotypical roles e(cept o+ the =ld Maid, but I think it di++ers a bit in every case. The

MotherR/i+eDs beauty is an earthly one mi(ed with kindness and +eeling o+ sa+ety. 'ady 8essicaDs

appearance is described as Ga regal beautyH 4-J by the duke 'eto and he continues in describing his

view o+ her? GThe +ace was oval under a cap o+ hair the colour o+ polished bron&e. 9er eyes were set

wide, as green and clear as the morning skies o+ aladan. The nose was small, the mouth wide and

generous. 9er +igure was good, but scant? tall and with its curves gone to slimnessH 4-J. According

to the description, 'ady 8essica is a beauti+ul woman and her beauty is universal, because the oval

+ace, clear eyes and small nose are thought to be the most attractive +eatures by the ma:ority o+

people. The wide mouth connotes the smile and there+ore the kindness o+ the MotherR/i+e. In both

+ilms, the actresses playing 'ady 8essica were beauti+ul and both the directors hold close to the cited

description. "ut in my opinion, 8essica +rom the 9arrisonCs miniseries, who was played by Baskia

eeves, carries much more warmth and kindness and so she is more believable in her MotherR/i+e

role.

I think, I have illustrated that 'ady 8essica +its in the MotherR/i+e role very smoothly and that

she +ul+ills most o+ the criteria that were mentioned in hapter 2 as the de+ining +eatures o+ this role.

Bo, she is perceived as the good mother protecting and supporting her children by the ordinary

reader. "ut in the rest o+ this chapter, I would like to prove that this view is biased. Bhe is the

mother, but also a person on her own. Bhe does her own decisions and has her own interests and this

directly antagoni&es the base o+ the stereotypical role she is assigned to. Bhe is not so passive and so

sacri+icing hersel+ to the uke 'eto or )aul as it may seem. 1irst, I am going to +ocus on her having

the son instead o+ the daughter. This choice makes 8essica very active and her reasons +or doing it

are also very interesting and allows +or more than one e(planation. Then I would like to mention

8essicaDs actions when she and )aul come to the 1remen and also how she educates and advises

)aul. All these e(amples will show 'ady 8essica acting and thus opposing her stereotypical role.

63


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As I have already written, 'ady 8essica is mentioned +or the +irst time in the novel as Gthe

mother o+ the boy>H she is not simply the mother, but the male se( o+ her o++spring is included in the

description. The importance o+ this in+ormation reveals itsel+ very early. =nly +our pages later the

everend Mother aius 9elen Mohiam, coming to test )aul, swears +or hersel+? G Da#n that

Jessi%a* K...L +f onl( shed -orne us a girl as she 'as ordered to do*H 37J These are the +irst hints o+

the "ene esserit breeding program that the reader gets and at the same time, this


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There is a


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o+ the sisterhood and also by the readers o+ the book. "ut the real grounds +or her decision are

hidden in her wish to achieve something. And giving birth to the #wisat& 9aderach would surely

make her important. "ut her son is not precisely what the "ene esserits were aiming at, he is

something more, he says about himsel+? GQouDre thinking IDm the #wisat& 9aderach, K...L )ut that

out o+ your mind. IDm something une(pectedH 22J. 9e has the power to see both +uture and past

and he is able to know his motherDs thoughts. In this conte(t, his accusation? GQou didnDt want a

son K...L Qou wanted a #wisat& 9aderach Qou wanted a male "ene esseritH 22;J have to be

viewed as the statement o+ +act. And it seems much more believable that the real reason +or having a

son was not 8essicaCs love +or the uke, but her own interests. Bo, she has not only consciously

chosen the se( o+ her child, but moreover she was motivated by her own interests. oing so, she put

hersel+ in the center and the beginning o+ the whole story. )ositively, this action counteracts the

assigned MotherR/i+e role and 'ady 8essica cannot be seen as passive and driven behind her

partner any more.

At the beginning o+ this chapter, I have described 8essicaDs relationship with )aul during their run

+rom the 9arkonnens to the 1remen. I have shown that she +ollows her son, who makes the

decisions. Bo, when they +irst meet the 1remen troop in the rocks deep in the desert, )aul, as a

leader, should protect his mother. "ut the situation is di++erent. Bhe +ights +or hersel+ and proves her

value. The 1remen have been told to seek )aul and protect him because he can be a messiah, who

will change the waste Arrakis to a +lowering green paradise, but they are not sure about the value o+

8essica. In the harsh conditions o+ the desert, untrained people are generally a burden and they may

endanger the whole group. A non51remen woman is automatically thought to be untrained and

there+ore worthless e(cept +or the value o+ the water that is incorporated in her body. Btilgar, the

leader o+ the 1remen troop, tells 8essica? GI can see possibility in this strong boy5man? he is young

and can learn. "ut what o+ yoursel+, womanH 26J. 9is statement shows that the value o+ the

person among the 1remen is directly proportional to his or her potential, both physical and mental

66


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and that it is care+ully :udged. )hysical strength o+ the woman is usually minor in comparison with

the manDs +orce and so her worth has to be connected rather with the mental area. This can be

illustrated by the ne(t part o+ the dialog between Btilgar and 8essica?

OThe strength o+ a woman can be boundless,D Btilgar said. Oertain it is in a everend

Mother. Are you a everend MotherD

1or the moment, 8essica put aside the implications o+ the


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"ut clearly, 8essica has not +ought to save )aul because his li+e was not in danger as Btilgar clearly

stated. Bhe has attacked Btilgar and has mastered him to prove her value and save her own li+e. This

is in outstanding opposition to the passivity and sel+5sacri+icing that are typical +or the MotherR/i+e.

I+ she was to resign, she would not +ight and would die +or her son. Bo she has not obviously chosen

sacri+icing hersel+ to )aul because her attack endangered her sonDs li+e. To sum it up, she has

decided to +ight +or hersel+ and this way she contradicts more o+ the de+ining +eatures o+ the

MotherR/i+e role.

I would like to illustrate her strong will and independent decision making on one more e(ample.

A+ter the meeting in the desert, the group o+ 1remen with )aul and 8essica goes to the sietch, city

dug in the rocks, where the 1remen live. "ut the 1remen are about to leave this one and move

deeper to the desert to hide +rom the 9arkonnens. "e+ore the departure, 'ady 8essica decides to

undergo an unknown rite and this way become the everend Mother, which will secure her stable

social position. I will show that also in this case she decides on her own and choses the possibility

that is the best +or her. "y doing this, she endangers her unborn daughter and thus she counteracts

her characteristics as nurturing and li+e producing.

In the novel, there is not described the situation where 'ady 8essica is asked or o++ered to

undergo the rite. The reader is only in+ormed that she will do it. Bo, her decision making is le+t

completely to her and it is hardly even mediated to the reader. The +irst instant, where the reader

gets +amiliar with the +act that she made a decision, is +ollowing dialog?

OQour son has been summoned +rom his rest, Bayyadina,D Btilgar said. Oo you wish him to

share in your decisionD

Oould he change my decisionD

Oertainly, the air with which you speak comes +rom your own lungs, but 5D

OThe decision stands,D she said. 602J

It is obvious +rom this


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probable reason why Btilgar o++ers her a possibility to consult her decision with )aul. "ut what is

interesting, )aul cannot change her decision against her will, he can only give her an advice, but the

decision has to be her own. This is interesting di++erence between the traditional stereotype and the

situation in the 1remen culture. 'ady 8essica chooses to make use o+ this tradition and takes it even

+urther by not discussing her decision with her son at all.

The value o+ the everend Mother has been implied in the paragraph on the +ight in the desert. In

the


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1remen society is uni


49/74

li+e is very close 8essica reali&es all these +acts a+ter accepting the old everend MotherDs

knowledge and memories? G + did it, #( poor, unfor#ed, dear little daughter + -rought (ou into this

uni$erse and exposed (our a'areness to all its $arieties 'ithout an( defen%esH 633J. Bo a+ter her

deed, she comes back to her MotherR/i+e role, she com+orts her daughter and stays in close contact

with her, but her decision to undergo the rite and take the risk o+ drinking the /ater o+ 'i+e goes

directly opposite nurturing and li+e5producing characteristics o+ the stereotypical role.

Bo together with her re+usal to let )aul participate on her decision, which shows her activity and

opposes the +eature o+ being driven, she once more reveals hersel+ as counteracting the stereotypical

role o+ the MotherR/i+e. Bhe has not drank the /ater o+ 'i+e +or her sonDs behal+ as 8ack 9and

argues in his article. Bhe has done it to secure her own position among the 1remen. )aul was

per+ectly sa+e at the moment she decided to go through the rite and thus the argument that GKsheL

invites the dangers o+ the sandworm5derived water, not primarily +or her own bene+it, but in order to

consolidate )aulDs position among the 1remenH 9and 27J seems absurd to me. )aulDs position is

stable almost +rom the +irst moment they meet the 1remen in the rocks in the desert, 'ady 8essica is

the person in the danger. And becoming the everend Mother gives her shelter and respect, so she

hersel+ has the greatest bene+it +rom taking the /ater o+ 'i+e. The situation is very similar to the

+ight with Btilgar, once more 8essica has to +ight +or hersel+ to secure her position and li+e among

the 1remen.

8essica as a parent o+ )aul is supposed to educate him, but a+ter the run +rom the 9arkonnens,

when he became a leader and 8essica +ollowed him the roles have swapped. I would like to present

an e(ample o+ 8essica educating )aul, and there+ore, getting the dominant and active role. The

situation takes place between the +ight in the desert and 8essicaDs change to the everend Mother. In

the desert, )aul shames one o+ the 1remens and later he has to meet him in the single combat. )aul

has easily won even though it was the +irst man he has ever killed. A+ter the victory, everybody

praises him, but 8essica is conscious o+ the importance o+ that moment? G .e has /illed a #an in

6;


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%lear superiorit( of #ind and #us%le .e #ust not gro' to en0o( su%h a $i%tor(H -2J. Bhe does not

want her son to en:oy killing people and so she decides to step in and remind him what he has :ust

done?

Bhe compressed ultimate scorn into her voice and manner, said? O/e5l5l, now P how does it

+eel to be a killerD

)aul sti++ened as though he had been struck. 9e met his motherDs cold glare and his +ace

darkened with a rush o+ blood. -J

'ady 8essica acts dominant and seemingly without sympathy +or her son, but her utterance was

precisely aimed and it works out. )aul awakes +rom the euphoria and reali&es all the conse


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de+eat, and agrees with )aul decision to marry the princess Irulan and this way get to the throne. 9e

asks who will represent )aul in negotiations about the conditions o+ the marriage and succession to

the throne. )aul appoints 'ady 8essica and hani to be the negotiators? G9e dropped his arm, +aced

his mother. OQou will negotiate +or me, Mother, with hani by your sideDH -43J. This way, both the

women are given the great power and credit. Bo, once more, 'ady 8essica helps her son in

absolutely non5+emale way and doing this she does not +it into her +emale stereotypical role.

In this chapter, I have proved that 'ady 8essica was assigned the MotherR/i+e role. In the novel,

there are scenes that picture her as passive in the relationships both with the uke and with )aul,

and she is also shown as a good mother that is li+e producing and caring +or her child. And as a

typical woman she is beauti+ul and pleasant. All these +eatures together place 'ady 8essica clearly

within the system o+ the stereotypical women roles. "ut there are also many instants where she

behaves in absolute opposite to these characteristics and on which she shows activity and power

that clearly are not in accordance with the stereotypes. 1irst, I have +ocused on her decision to have

a son instead o+ a daughter and I have argued that she was motivated by the possibility to produce

the #wisat& 9aderach. Fe(t, I have shown how she secured her place among the 1remen, +irst by

de+eating Btilgar and then by drinking the /ater o+ 'i+e and thus becoming the everend Mother. In

both these situations she was active and making her decisions according to her own interests. Bhe is

not driven by his son in these situations and moreover she educates him as a little boy. At the end,

she is his advisor and this way she helps )aul by her knowledge and advice, that means by typically

male tools. To sum it up, 'ady 8essica can be easily classed within the system o+ the +emale

stereotypical roles, but at the same time, there are many situations, where she counteracts this role

and shows that her power and strength are much greater than it seems at +irst sight.

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Pr"n*!## Irulan

The character o+ the oyal princess Irulan, a daughter o+ the )adishah @mperor Bhaddam I,

represents the "ene esserit sisterhood in its another +orm. Bhe is trained by her "ene esserit

mother and, as the oldest daughter, she is also prepared to become a wi+e o+ the ne(t )adishah

@mperor. This way the "ene esserit planned to get more signi+icant in+luence on the +uture

)adishah @mperorDs :udgments. "ut this plan is ruined by )aul, although Irulan becomes his wi+e,

her opinions are not supposed to have any impact on his decisions. In the book, she as a character

appears as late as on the assembly a+ter the 1remen victory, but her name is known to the readers

+rom the +irst lines o+ the novel. @very chapter o+ the book starts with the e(cerpt +rom the book and

the princess Irulan is an author o+ the signi+icant part o+ them. "y this means, she is established as a

kind o+ a narrator and she accompanies the reader on his or her way throughout the story. In my

opinion, her role is much more signi+icant than it may seem. 1irst, I will e(plore the stereotypical

role that Irulan is clearly assigned and than I will show how she di++ers +rom this stereotype in some

scenes. These +eatures o+ power and action are highlighted in 8ohn 9arrisonCs +ilm because the

character o+ the princess Irulan is developed here. This adaptation has given her a signi+icantly

broader area to show hersel+ and to act, in contrast, the 'ynchDs +ilm has sticked to the novel much

closer. Bo in this chapter, I will use a lot o+ evidence and e(amples +rom the 9arrisonDs +ilm because

I would like to present the most complete image o+ the princess Irulan that is possible to create and

to show her as the character meeting the de+inition o+ the stereotype and also acting in the clear

opposition to it.

In my opinion, the princess Irulan can be classi+ied as the irgin within the system o+ the

stereotypical +emale roles that I have introduced in hapter 2. The beauty, as the de+ining +eature o+

all the women in the literature, determines also the irgin role, but in this case the beauty is

connected with purity, clarity and etherealness. The irgin is worshiped in a spiritual way, she is

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standing on a pedestal and all the people, especially men, look up to her. This worshiping +orces her

to the passivity that is shared by all the womenDs roles. Bo, similarly to the other +emales, the irgin

is e(pected to stay absolutely passive and to not make any decisions. Bhe is interested in spiritual

things and ways and she is pure in her thoughts and deeds. Also her se(uality is de+ined by this

purity because she is very o+ten considered to be ase(ual. All the above mentioned characteristics

reveal themselves in the role o+ the princess Irulan. In the +ollowing paragraphs, I will illustrate

them using e(amples +rom the book or the +ilms.

The +irst characteristic I would like to +ocus on is a beauty. "eing beauti+ul is one o+ the

attributes that are shared by the ma:ority o+ the +emale characters. In the case o+ the princess Irulan,

who is assigned to the irgin role, the beauty is in+luenced also by her other characteristic +eatures

as innocence, purity and also a kind o+ superiority. The notion o+ superiority is created by the

relations o+ all the other people to the irgin, by their worshiping and putting her onto the pedestal

she becomes untouchable and superior. Thus her appearance could be very o+ten described as

beauti+ul, but also cold to a certain e(tent. In the novel, the princess Irulan is described twice, +or

the +irst time through the eyes o+ the evil "aron 9arkonnen and +or the second time by )aul. "oth

the descriptions are very close with minuscule di++erences, so I will


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way. Bo even her visage implies the +eatures o+ spirituality as opposite to the real worldly li+e and

bears the characteristics o+ beauty and purity, but also coldness and superiority which all together

characteri&e the irgin role.

The second +eature I would like to concentrate on is a passivity, which is also shared by the

ma:ority o+ the +emale characters. As I have already mentioned in the previous chapters, the

passivity is the basic


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+ond o+ books. In 9arrisonDs +ilm, she is holding the book in the great ma:ority o+ the scenes where

she appears. 9er +ather says that Gher ambitions tend to be more literary than politicalH and he is

obviously disappointed by her +ield o+ interests. The reader o+ the original book gets the knowledge

about IrulanDs interest in the literature +rom the e(cerpts +rom her books at the beginning o+ every

chapter and it is also highlighted by 'ady 8essica at the end o+ the book. In her speech to hani that

closes the whole story she in+orms? GThey say she has pretensions o+ a literary natureH -42J. I think

that IrulanDs spirituality, which characteri&es her irgin role, is shown through her involvement in

the literature and it is emphasi&ed by her connection with the "ene esserit.

Traditionally, the woman in the irgin role is considered to be nonse(ual. 9er ase(uality is

de+ined by her purity and innocence and it also gave this role its name. Fot every woman assigned

to the irgin role is a virgin in a literal meaning o+ the word, but the princess Irulan is highly

probable to be the irgin in all the meanings o+ the term. At the end o+ the +inal gathering, when the

wedding is arranged, )aul promises hani? Gthat princess shall have no more o+ me than my name.

Fo child o+ mine nor touch nor so+tness o+ glance, nor instant o+ desireH -42J. It can be taken +or

granted that Irulan, being an heiress o+ the ruler o+ this medieval5like society, is a virgin be+ore her

wedding with )aul and +rom his words it could be deduced that she will stay a virgin even in the

marriage. Bhe is treated as an absolutely ase(ual being or ob:ect and the +uture state o+ things is

summari&ed in 'ady 8essicaDs utterance that ends the novel, she says to hani? Gthat princess will

have the name, yet sheDll live as less than a concubine P never to know a moment o+ tenderness

+rom the man to whom sheDs boundH -42J. Bo it clearly stands out that IrulanDs se(uality will be

reduced and she is and will be regarded as a Okey to the throneD rather than se(ual ob:ect by )aul.

9er lonesome +uture is suggested more signi+icantly at the end o+ the 9arrisonCs adaptation. Bhe is

standing alone in the middle o+ the great hall o+ the palace on Arrakis and )aul comes to her, looks

on her and then continues to hani who he kisses. The princess is le+t to hersel+ in the darkening

room and the ne(t shot presents a typical 9ollywood ending with )aul and hani going hand in

--


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hand towards the desert sunset. Bo also this ending documents IrulanDs position in the se(ual and

emotional relationship with )aul.

The stereotypes about +emale characters in literature and +ilm are very strong and I think I have

depicted the princess IrulanDs beauty, purity and passivity as well as her orientation to the spiritual

rather than to the real world. The last characteristic +eature I have +ocused on was her ase(uality as

it is de+ined by her relationship with )aul. There+ore, in my opinion, it is transparent that the

princess Irulan belongs to the category o+ the irgin within the scheme introduced in hapter 2, but

I argue that, at the same time, she opposes the de+inition o+ this category and that her character has

to be studied closer and more care+ully to get true image and reveal her power.

1irst, I would like to study Irulan as a narrator because I think that by this means she gets power

that is not supposed to be in the hands o+ the woman according to the stereotypes. The second

situation I will +ocus on is her decision to become )aulDs wi+e in order to prevent +urther +ights and

devastation o+ the universe. It is her decision and it actually makes her active and opposing her

+ather. These two moments are included in the book and also in the both adaptations, but I will

e(plore also the princess IrulanDs secret plans and orders and also her brilliant orientation in politics

and peopleDs motivations that are depicted in the 9arrisonDs miniseries. I think they will

complement the image I am trying to present.

The role o+ a narrator is crucial +or every literary work or +ilm. 9e tells the story +rom his point

o+ view and this way he gets an enormous impact on the perception o+ the reader or viewer which

gives him tremendous power. The princess Irulan cannot be classi+ied as a classic narrator because

she does not narrate the whole story. The e(tracts +rom her books only introduce the individual parts

or chapters o+ Dune, but nevertheless, she in+luences the readerDs point o+ view to the great e(tent

because the ma:ority o+ the readers tends to read the chapters with the +ocus on the things

mentioned in the passage +rom the IrulanDs book. Thus, the princess Irulan is given the power to

direct the readers attention to the desired aim and she also is, in a way, one step +urther than the

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reader because she evidently knows what will come ne(t. Bo this role gives her a power over reader

which is not in accordance with the stereotype. In the avid 'ynchDs +ilm the situation is very

similar, she is the +irst character the viewer sees in the +ilm and she introduces the society and also

the background o+ the story and she e(plains such a complicated things as the "ene esserit

breeding program. 9er role was even strengthened during the e(tensive cutting because she has to

e(plain the things that were originally included in the +ilm, but they must be cut out. In the

9arrisonCs adaptation, there is only her voice to e(plain and introduce, but at least this way, her role

o+ a kind o+ narrator is preserved.

As I have already mentioned, the main occasion where the princess Irulan appears in person in

the original novel is the +inal gathering. There, she decides to get married with )aul and even

though her +ather is against the marriage at the beginning, she convinces him? GThe @mperor turned

a stricken look upon his daughter. Bhe touched his arm, spoke soothingly? O1or this I was trained,

1atherDH -43J. learly, she is much more aware o+ all the possible conse


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discussion, when she is +orced to leave by her guards, )aul tries to appease the tensed situation by

announcing that the princess was under his protection. Irulan reacts? G=h, pleaseH and her tone is

highly disgusted and touched. =bviously, she did not e(pect )aul to patroni&e her and she does not

see any need +or him to do so. Bo, her independence and activity is widened in the 9arrisonCs +ilm

and her contradicting the stereotypical characteristics is emphasi&ed. It is clear, that IrulanDs

passivity, as the key +eature o+ the +emale representation in literature and +ilm, is opposed by her in

the last scene o+ all the versions and in some other scenes in 9arrisonCs miniseries.

I have described spirituality as a de+ining


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and machinations are relatively venturous and in them she clearly reveals her active behavior and

interest in politics.

IrulanDs intelligence and not only interest in politics but also a good insight in it are illustrated by

her discussion with the @mperor and his advisor, ount 1enring. ount and the @mperor are

speaking about the problems with the spice production and also about 9arkonnen cruel reign on

Arrakis. The princess Irulan steps into the discussion and she +oreshadows her e(planation o+ the

reasons o+ cruelty and the great pressure on the people on Arrakis. The viewer knows that her

interpretation is absolutely precise because the plan was e(plained by the "aron 9arkonnen in one

o+ the preceding scenes. The @mperor does not believe her, but ount 1enring persuades him to

order the "aron 9akonnen to visit him. 1enring is obviously surprised by the knowledge that Irulan

has shown and tells her? GQour 9ighness has a perceptive mind.H This way he gives her a credit o+

rationality and orientation in real li+e situations and politics that are stereotypically restricted to men

only.

In this chapter, I have +ocused on the princess Irulan who has been assigned the irgin role. I

have proven that she is described as a beauti+ul woman with a notion o+ purity and superiority about

her. As a traditional +emale character she is passive and oriented towards the spiritual part o+ li+e.

9er orientation mani+est itsel+ as an interest in literature and the "ene esserit education and her

se(uality is also in+luenced by it. Bhe is considered to be a nonse(ual being, which is connected also

with her purity and innocence. All these characteristics have proven that she has the irgin role, but

I have also argued and demonstrated that Irulan, similarly to 'ady 8essica, counteracts the assigned

role. 1irst, she is a kind o+ the narrator o+ the story and this way she in+luences the +ocus o+ the

readers. In the +ilms, this role was retained and in the 'ynchDs adaptation it was widened and so her

impact on the viewer was ampli+ied. In the story itsel+, she shows her independence and activity by

choosing her +uture and deciding to marry )aul. This +eature was highlighted in the 9arrisonCs

adaptation because his Irulan proposes this solution o+ the crises. Moreover, she is depicted there as

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having their own plans and with a very good insight into the politics. In conclusion, the character o+

the princess Irulan can easily be characteri&ed by the stereotypical role o+ the irgin, but at the same

time I have proven that her intelligence, activity and in+luence on readers are +ar greater than they

are supposed to be according to the stereotypes.

40


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C$an"

The last +emale character I will +ocus on is hani, )aulDs 1remen lover and the mother o+ his son.

As I have already +oreshadowed in the preceding chapter, she is the woman who has )aulDs

a++ection and interest and can be contrasted to the princess Irulan. 8ack 9and, in his article, sums the

opposition? GThe princess becomes, in +act, a ma:or historian o+ and apologist +or )aulDs actions,

while hani remains the center o+ his emotional li+eH 9and 2J. This di++erence is revealed also in

the di++erent stereotypical roles both women are assigned. IrulanDs irgin role de+ined by purity,

coldness and ase(uality is opposed to haniDs MotherR/i+e role de+ined by com+orting and

nurturing. At the beginning o+ this chapter, I will analy&e the character o+ hani and prove that she

possesses some o+ the


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40J. learly, the women are not allowed to participate +ully in this ritual, so, the notion o+ e


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learly, hani pre+ers to stay with )aul or, more precisely, to come back to him, but her wish is not

important. According to )aul, she will be sa+er in the other sietch and thus she has to depart there.

Bhe does not even try to protest. =bviously she wants to, but probably, she gets to know very


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view. hani may be seen as )aulDs teacher because she tells him how to behave and doing so she

presents to him the traditional 1remen ways. Bo, hani is teaching her man and thus she clearly

contrasts the stereotype o+ passivity and submission towards the husband. )aul learns a lot +rom her

and there+ore her power over him is e(panded to a degree that opposes the stereotypical

MotherR/i+e role. This opposition can be +urther illustrated by the scene +rom the novel, in which

they are traveling to the sietch +rom the rocks in the desert, where they have met? G)aul wiped

sweat5caked dust +rom his +orehead, +elt a tug at his arm, heard haniDs voice hissing? Oo as I told

you? bring the +old o+ your hood down over your +orehead 'eave only the eyes e(posed. Qou waste

moistureDH ;2J. In this


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Teaching )aul is not the only activity that is inappropriate +or hani according to the

stereotypical role she is assigned. Bhe also protects )aul +rom his dreams and +rom the people, too.

In the +irst case, her de+ense o+ him is very close to easing his +ears. Bhe supports him and by this

means she gives him a hope that his horri+ying visions are not precisely true. This support can be

categori&ed as Gcom+ortingRhealingH that is one o+ the de+ining +eatures o+ the MotherR/i+e role,

however, these scenes show hani as stronger than )aul and thus damage the notion o+ his

superiority and her obedience. Bo, their +inal impact depends on the personality o+ the reader or the

viewer. "ut the scene, where hani protects )aul with a kni+e in her hand, implies clearly her

independence and activity. In the book, it takes place in the corridor o+ the sietch, in +ront o+ their

living


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o+ the uke 'eto and 'ady 8essica about the bullDs head. There 8essica have tried to ob:ect her

partnerDs decision and was unsuccess+ul however in this dialog )aul, man, is de+eated. Bo, this

situation shows enormous power that is given to hani, she does not only decide about hersel+, she

also makes decisions about )aul and he resigns to it. 9arrison, in his adaptation o+ Dune, included

this scene even though it takes place in the desert camp, in +ront o+ the )aulDs tent. "ut the scene is

shortened and the argumentation is missing there. Bo, hani is active and she protects )aul there,

too, but the implications o+ her making a decision about )aul are not so strong and thus she is not

becoming so independent. "ut the basic notion o+ her counteracting the passivity and submission to

her partner is clear even in this version.

The last situation that I would like to analy&e is a part o+ the scene in the desert, where )aul and

'ady 8essica are accepted among the 1remen. As I have remarked earlier in my work, hani is

among the men in the troop and she meets )aul there +or the +irst time. "ut their +irst con+rontation

is a surprise +or )aul, because a+ter his mother tells him to come down +rom the rocks, where he has

hidden a+ter her attack on Btilgar, he +inds out that he has not been hiding alone?

)aul stood up, emerging into moonlight above his concealing cle+t, slipped the 1remen

weapon back into his sash. As he turned, another +igure arose +rom the rocks to +ace him.

In the moonlight and re+lection o++ grey stone, )aul saw a small +igure in 1remen robes, a

shadowed +ace peering out at him +rom the hood, and the mu&&le o+ one o+ the pro:ectile

weapons aimed at him +rom a +old o+ robe.

OI am hani, daughter o+ 'iet.D

The voice was lilting, hal+ +illed with laughter.

OI would not have permitted you to harm my companions,D she said. 2;50J

haniDs dominance reveals itsel+ in this scene very clearly. Bhe has surprised )aul, which devalues

his abilities as a warrior and as a "ene esserit5trained person, too. Bo, hani is better in the +ield

that is usually dedicated to men. Moreover, she has a weapon aiming at him and seems to be very

44


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amused by )aulDs behavior. The last sentence +rom the


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Con*lu#"on

In the +ollowing paragraphs, I would like to summari&e the signi+icant points o+ my work and

present the outcomes o+ the analysis o+ the +emale characters in 1rank 9erbertCs Dune. In addition to

the original novel, I have used both e(isting +ilm adaptations, which were directed by avid 'ynch

and 8ohn 9arrison, to complement the image o+ the women presented in the primary work and this

way to create as complete picture as possible.

The +irst part o+ my work consists o+ the chapters that create a theoretical basis +or the study o+

particular woman characters. There, I have described the complicated procedure +rom the +irst

9erbertOs thoughts about a sci5+i novel, through the publication o+ the book and various attempts to

+ilm it, to the two success+ul +ilm adaptations. The novel is special because o+ the multiple layers

that allow plenty o+ di++erent readings and this uni


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8essica, the princess Irulan and hani, I have proceeded along the similar line. 1irst, I have e(plored

which one o+ the stereotypical roles is the character assigned and I have tried to support my

opinions by the scenes, where they reveal the


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I believe that my work brings a new view o+ the roles o+ women in Dune, which is supported by

well5chosen arguments. And I hope, I have presented the novel as an interesting piece o+ literature

and doing this inspired the reader to get to the original book or one o+ the +ilm adaptation and

discover its other layers.

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A!n-"*!#

73


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1ork# *"+!-

U"ene esserit.U Wi/ipedia, The "ree En%(%lopedia. 22 8an. 2004. 26 8an. 2004.

Vhttp?RRen.wikipedia.orgRwikiR"eneWesseritX.

owie, @li&abeth. GThe )opular 1ilm as a )rogressive Te(t P a iscussion o+ !o#a.H )enley,

onstance, ed. "e#inis# and "il# Theor( Few Qork? outledge, 3;.3065360.

rosbie, 'ynn. Girls on +ilm.H "lare =ct. 2004? 364.

iTommaso, 'oren&o. G9istory and 9istorical @++ect in 1rank 9erbertDs DuneH S%ien%e "i%tion

Studies 3;. Fov. 3;;2J? 7; pars. 0 Mar. 2007

Vhttp?RRwww.depauw.eduRs+sRbackissuesR-Rditom-art.htmX.

Dune – Behind the S%enes 32 Mar. 2007. 23 Mar. 2007.

Vhttp?RRwww.dunein+o.comRinde(.aspX.

En%(/lop2dia Dun( G#nihy.H ompiler 9istorik. 8an. 2007. 26 Mar. 2007.

Vhttp?RRencyklopedie.dune.c&R"ibliogra+iaRbibliogra+ia.htmX.

U1rank 9erbert.U Wi/ipedia, The "ree En%(%lopedia. 3; Mar. 2007. 20 Mar. 2007

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Vhttp?RRwww.mania.comR246.htmlX.

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Vhttp?RRserendip.brynmawr.eduRlocalRscisocRsports0RpapersRlgataullina.htmlX.

9and, 8ack. GThe Traditionalism o+ /omenCs oles in 1rank 9erbertCs Dune.H Extrapolation

Bpring 3;-? 2652.

9askell, Molly. "ro# re$eren%e To Rape hicago? E o+ hicago ), 3;7.

9erbert, 1rank. A+terword. !hapterhouse3 Dune "y 9erbert. 'ondon? 9odder N Btoughton, 3;4.

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EsulDs homepage. 23 Mar. 2007.

Vhttp?RRwww.usul.netRdocumentsRchWduneWa+terword.htmX.

5 5 5. Dune. 'ondon? 9odder N Btoughton, 3;4.

5 5 5. Gune enesis.H ni 8uly 3;0. The &ffi%ial Dune We-site 20 Mar. 2007. 23 Mar. 2007.

Vhttp?RRwww.dunenovels.comRnewsRgenesis.htmlX.

5 5 5. Interview with )aul Turner. Vertex =ct. 3;7. 23 Mar. 2007

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dune femei

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