Dune as a parable for the war on terror

self ^ | 09/28/2006 | self

[Nachum]

I was reading Dune Messiah last night and it occurred to me that much of it could be a parable for ourtimes. Paul Atreides - Imanutjob, Spice - Oil, Arrakis, the middle east.

He uses much Koranic vocubulary, with the terms like "Mahdi" and "Jihad".

I know there are many Dune fans out there. What do you think?

[Hi Heels]

Haven't read those books in years. Think I'll go find them tonight.....

[pwatson]

I loved the first movie, I always compared it to Moses leading the Jews out of the Desert and the birth of the Christ. I can easily see your point, in light of todays Muslims. How about the ritual killing with a knife and how the Muslims cut your throats.

[My2Cents]

Loved "Dune." Hated "Dune Messiah." But now I'm intrigued.

[Tax-chick]

We used to have a "Paul Atreides" on FR. I wonder what happened to him. Iirc, he was a college student.

[Dark Knight]

If you get a chance, watch the Sci Fi channels mini series version of Dune and Childrem of Dune. They were great!

DK

[justa-hairyape]

Hugo Chavez is certainly acting like he 'drank the spice'. Perhaps the Persian Midget has also.

[HeartOfDixie56]

I see where you you can read that into it. But I'm afraid to go a step further, the Fremen (sp?) were fighting the overlords that had taken over their planet (at least in the 1st book). And Paul became the leader (Mua'dib) and freed Arakis. So maybe we shouldn't take the analogy very far.

[The Blitherer]

Oh, I totally agree with you. Herbert always had a kind of admiration for Islamofascists, and his books are almost a direct analogy of his own interpretation of what was going on in the middle east during his lifetime.

[Philistone]

I'm more inclined to believe that Dune was written after the exploits of Lawrence of Arabia (comes from a water planet, trains the Fremen to overcome the Harkonnens (read the "Turkish Empire")), etc.

[HeartOfDixie56]

Most definitely! Just like LOTR is more a critique on the over industrialization of the Western world and losing the innocence and beauty of the rural lands.

It was also used to epitomize the fight against Communism.

I was just taking the author's analogy a bit further into the plot of the story instead of the devices used!

[Nachum]

...And Paul became the leader (Mua'dib) and freed Arakis. So maybe we shouldn't take the analogy very far

I wasn't trying to say I agreed with the point of view of the book, but there were just so many analogies that sprung out at me while reading it. In Dune Messiah Atredies reviews human history comparing his Jihad vs Earth mass murderers. His Jihad is by far the bloodiest. Maybe Herbert was projecting the natural conclusion of the Koranic Jihad to its natural conclusion: mass murder on the largest scale in history (God forbid).

[Nachum]

Just like LOTR is more a critique on the over industrialization of the Western world and losing the innocence and beauty of the rural lands.

Hmmm, I never thought of that. It is extremely eerie how well Herbert uses Koranic prophetic devices. The book was published in 1969. If someone published a book of the same sort describing Jihad as responsible for mass murder, they would have fatwas issued against them!

[Thombo2]

Very similar.I read the books yrs ago-A+ sci-fi.I was dissapointed to find out many of the words were actually Arabic-I thought he made them up.Definitely borrowed lots of ME culture in developing the setting.Lots of things in common-desert setting,nomadic existance,arab terms,spice is a valuable comodity like oil,etc,etc.Movie doesn't quite do the novel(s) justice.

[Nachum]

ping

[Nachum]

ping

[punster]

Frank Herbert was the Prophet of Dune.

[Hound of the Baskervilles]

"Most definitely! Just like LOTR is more a critique on the over industrialization of the Western world and losing the innocence and beauty of the rural lands. "

I have thought of this from Dune: "He who controls the spice (or in our world, he who controls the oil) controls the universe! And I have thought of this from LOTR about the War on terror: "Hold your ground, hold your ground. Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers. I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of woes and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down, but it is not this day. This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you *stand, Men of the West!"

[KevinDavis]

[Hound of the Baskervilles]

"It (LOTR) was also used to epitomize the fight against Communism. "

I think LOTR applies much better to our situation than does Dune. I love LOTR! I loved the book and the movie. I feel sorry for people who have never read it. Someone wrote that not reading LOTR was like going through life never having tasted an orange. Anyone who reads it and is not moved deeply by the themes of heroism, sacrifice, good against evil, love, faithfulness, long suffering and physical and mental courage has a kind of shallow orientation to life IMHO.