Themes in Dune

[TMA_1]

Dune has so many important themes. The idea of the flawed messiah. The concept that fulfilled prophesies and how they dont always breed contentment. The concept of stagnation and the survival of humanity. These ideas keep coming and coming. It seems to me because of all this, that Dune itself is more of a microcosm of our world, instead of just being a standared single themed novel. In fact I think that is why Dune, and a small number of other beautiful novels captivate people so much. It is about the complexity, the subtle interplay of characters and themes that are worded so beautifully.

What do you guys think? and whata re some other themes that you have found while reading the Dune chronicals?

[Tako]

how about desperetly trying to keep a famelie together and failing evrey time in it (Atreides in Leto, Paul, Leto II and siona etc.)

Trying to bring good an stabilety in the universe and seeing that universe slipping betweeb your fingers and you losing the struggle

[Egeides]

The role of women (BG, fish-speakers...), the cost of progress, the opposite of Azimov's Foundation which is not material but "spiritual/essence of things" aspect, the situation of religion and spirituality (and its use), the impact of culture/ethos/caracteristics through time (Agamemnon, dynasties...), political systems out of time and artificial "types" (bureaucracies, feodalism, imperialism... all as not being strictly "from a given period"), the man-machine question...

There's lots really if we pick things like this. One could try to link this together in some system.

[Wolf]

I don't think one of the themes is the theme of a failed messiah... I think its the theme of a messiah beyond human control. Until we know what the Scattering is running from, its likely that Leto II was successful in his Golden Path -- which he probably was anyway, since its possible the ending of Chapterhouse makes reference to him...

[TMA_1]

uhh to the angered fremen after the jihads, paul was a flawed messiah. See, I am not trying to say that paul was a bad guy, or that somehow it was all of his fault. I am saying that paul fulfilled a prophesy that the fremen would later regret. I could have explained further, but I figured "flawed messiah" would fit easier without having to actually explain through it. It is one of the themes.

[Arvenier]

^When you want something really, really strong, you would do anything for it, go everywhere, fight for it, and you won't stop untill you get it.

Despite all, very often you are blinded, and misleaded about this thing, and when you achieve it, you can see it's real essence, and that this essence is not what you have been thinking about, but something completely different.