Dune Characters Analysis
Duke Leto Atreides - He is the head of House Atreides of Planet Caladan, and cousin to the Padishah Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV. The Emperor feels threatened by the expertly trained forces of House Atreides, and so conspires with the Harkonnens to end the House of Atreides. He lures the Duke into a trap on the Planet of Arrakis and uses a traitor in the Duke’s House to ambush him. Duke Leto nearly succeeds in killing the Baron with his last breath.
Paul Atreides (Muad’Dib) - The son of Duke Leto and Jessica, Paul is a talented young man with an excellent pedigree. His mother believes that he is the prophesied Kwisatz Haderach from a young age, due to his powers of Premonition. Paul escapes from the attack of the Harkonnens and secures refuge among the natives of Arrakis, the Fremen. In two short years, Paul wins the confidence of the Fremen, and they begin to see him as their leader. He uses the formidable Fremen to unseat the Emperor who had betrayed his father and installs himself on the throne by marrying the Emperor’s daughter, Princess Irulan.
Jessica - Paul’s mother is Benne Gesserit who serves as Duke Leto’s secretary and concubine. Jessica is bought as a young Bene Gesserit woman for the duke, and she bears him an heir. She had been forbidden to do so by the Reverend Mothers, who were motivated by their desire to manipulate bloodlines for the birth of the Kwisatz Haderach. Jessica learns that she is the daughter of Baron Harkonnen from Paul as the knowledge of her parents had been kept a secret by the Bene Gesserit. Jessica uses the fremen prophecies of the messiah to secure a haven for Paul and herself. These prophecies are the work of Bene Gesserit, who has sown such prophecies all across the galaxy for the safety of their members.
Baron Vladimir Harkonnen - A morbidly obese nobleman who can only move with the help of suspensors. He is the head of House Harkonnen of Geidi Prime, and a mortal enemy to Duke Leto. Baron Harkonnen is a resourceful, intelligent, and cruel man, but ultimately he is used by the Emperor as a pawn. The Emperor uses the Baron to destroy House Atreides because he is threatened by their power. The Baron is killed by his granddaughter, Alia, in the presence of the Emperor.
Gurney Halleck - Gurney serves directly under Duke Leto Atreides. He is known to be a fierce warrior and one of the best military minds in the galaxy. It is believed that Gurney Halleck and Duncan Idaho were responsible for training the formidable troops of House Atreides. Gurney is also one of Paul’s training masters on Caladan, and after the Harkonnen attack, he remains in Arrakis because of his fierce hatred toward the Harkonnens. Gurney reunites with Paul as a smuggler and immediately joins his side.
Thufir Hawat - Thufir is the old House Atreides Mentat, who has served the House for more than three generations. Thufir trains Paul to be a Mentat as well and builds a close relationship with him. He is misled by the Harkonnens to believe that Lady Jessica is the traitor in House Atreides. The Baron uses Thufir as a Mentat by promising him an opportunity for revenge against the Emperor who had betrayed House Harkonnen. Eventually, Thufir chooses to die rather than betray Paul at the Emperor’s command.
Chani - Paul begins to dream about Chani on Caladan, and finally meets her in the desert after escaping from the Harkonnens. She is a fierce Fremen woman, and the daughter of the Imperial Ecologist, Keynes, who is called Liet by the Fremen. Chani and Paul fall in love and have a son together, Leto II. Their son is killed in a Sardukar raid of the Southern Sietch. Chani is responsible for reviving Paul after he attempts to undergo the ritual of the Reverend Mother. Paul does not marry Chani, although he promises her that she will always be his true love even if Princess Irulan would be his wife in name.
Stilgar - Stilgar is an important Fremen leader, who first meets Paul when he makes peace with Duke Atreides due to the efforts of Duncan Idaho. He preserves Paul on the instructions of Liet and helps him learn the ways of the desert as a mentor. The freemen’s method of electing a new leader involves a fight to the death, but Paul refuses to propagate that ritual. He allows Stilgar to retain his position as the leader of the Fremen, but to do so under the Sovereignty of Duke Paul Atreides of Arrakis.
