Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Dune, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Power and Violence
Free Will and Fate
Environment and Human Culture
Human Cognitive Advances
Summary
Analysis
The epigraph from Princess Irulan’s text “A Child’s History of Muad’Dib” comments on Muad’Dib’s companions growing up. None were his own age. Instead, he was entertained and trained by “the troubadour-warrior” Gurney Halleck, the respected Mentat and Master of Assasins Thufir Hawat, swordmaster Duncan Idaho, and the knowledgeable (and later traitorous) Dr. Wellington Yueh. Muad’Dib also benefitted greatly from his mother Lady Jessica’s Bene Gesserit teachings, and Duke Leto’s fatherly qualities.
Much of Paul’s power as Muad’Dib and Kwisatz Haderach arises from his childhood learnings from a range of teachers. These teachers are all elite in their respective fields, and their combined training ensures that Paul is a well-rounded character of mental and physical prowess.
Themes
On Caladan, it is a week after the Reverend Mother Mohiam’s visit to Paul Atreides. Thufir Hawat, a Mentat who has been in the Atreides family’s service for three generations, meets Paul in Castle Caladan’s training room. Paul is studying the planet Arrakis, with Hawat describing elements of the planet’s fierce weather systems and indigenous Fremen practices. The Atreides will need to gain the respect of the Fremen, a resolute and tough people, in order to succeed in governing Arrakis and mining its valuable spice. When Hawat mentions the stillsuits that Fremen wear to reclaim the body’s water, Paul suddenly remembers a dream of thirst he once had. The two discuss the precious nature of water on Arrakis, and Hawat believes he is making progress in getting Paul to understand “the planet as an enemy” that must be approached cautiously.
While Hawat regards the desolate planet Arrakis as an “enemy,” Paul will come to realize it is his greatest asset. The harsh desert landscape builds human resilience, honing Paul and his future Fremen forces into an elite society with the power to take the Imperial throne.
Themes
Paul tells Hawat some of the details from his meeting with the Reverend Mother Mohiam. The Reverend Mother told him, “you must learn to rule. It’s something none of your ancestors learned,” and that “a ruler must learn to persuade and not to compel.” Paul is angry at her implication that Duke Leto’s leadership is failing, but Hawat agrees with the Reverend Mother’s advice. Paul draws a comparison between Arrakis and what he has learned of the planet Salusa Secundus.
Paul’s resentment of Bene Gesserit influence increases due to the Reverend Mother criticizing his father. The comparison between Arrakis and Salusa Secondus is important because it foreshadows Paul Atreides and Count Hasimir Fenring’s realizations that the Imperial Sardaukar troops have been trained on a planet similar in ecology to Arrakis. They draw the conclusion that the Fremen of Arrakis may well rival the elite Sardaukar forces because harsh environmental elements have similarly sharpened their fighting skills.
Themes
Hawat takes leave of Paul, intending to depart for Arrakis today with the Atreides to follow tomorrow. Gurney Halleck, the Atreides weapons master and Paul’s favorite of Duke Leto’s men, enters the training room. Beyond his talents as a warrior, Halleck is skilled in playing the basilet (a stringed instrument) and sings a Paul a bawdy tune after trading friendly insults with the Duke’s son.
The Atreides household’s life seems to revolve around Paul as much as Duke Leto—his teachers value and enjoy training the young Duke. Paul seems to resemble his father in gaining respect and power through popularity.
Themes
Get the entire Dune LitChart as a printable PDF.
Paul and Halleck then duel, with the weapons master making it a hard fight for Paul. Halleck is so fierce in the duel that Paul even becomes afraid that the weapons master is trying to seriously injure him. However, Halleck is simply trying to impress the necessity of strong fighting skills on his charge, as he is keenly aware that with the move to turbulent Arrakis, Paul may engage in real combat soon. He cautions Paul to consider their weapons training as essential for his future survival. Paul reflects on this time of serious change, and Halleck is surprised to realize that the young man has been studying fighting techniques of his own accord beyond Halleck and swordmaster Duncan Idaho’s trainings.
Paul’s sudden fear that the much-trusted Halleck is trying to seriously injure him reveals the extent of political corruption that pervades the Great Houses. Halleck is relieved and impressed that his young charge has taken the initiative to upskill independently of his teachers; once again, the narrator depicts Paul as an extraordinary individual who has an important future ahead.
Themes
