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Dune
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Character List
Paul Atreides -
The
protagonist of Dune. Paul is the son of Duke Leto
Atreides and is the heir to the House of the Atreides. At the beginning
of the novel, Paul is fifteen years old. He has been trained from
birth to fulfill the role of duke, and he is adept at combat and
strategic thinking. Paul is also a quiet, thoughtful, and observant young
man. Paul is not overly tall or muscular, but he is strong and quick.
Among the Fremen, Paul has two names: Usul, which signifies strength,
and Muad’Dib, the name of the desert mouse on Arrakis.
Jessica -
Paul’s
mother. Jessica is the concubine of Duke Leto Atreides. Though she
acts like a wife to Leto and he has no other concubines, she is
not married to Leto. Jessica is a member of the Bene Gesserit, a
school that teaches and practices what many others think of as witchcraft. An
orphan who never knew her parents, Jessica is tall and slender,
with bronze-colored hair and green eyes.
Read an in-depth analysis of Jessica.
Duke Leto Atreides -
Paul’s father. Duke Leto Atreides is the head of
the House of Atreides and the rightful ruler of Arrakis. The duke
received Arrakis from the emperor in exchange for Leto’s own planet
of Caladan, which was given to the duke’s mortal enemy, Baron Harkonnen.
The duke is a wise, intelligent, and compassionate man, but he is
ruthless when it comes to dealing with his enemies. He cares very
much for his concubine, Jessica, and their son, Paul.
Baron Vladimir Harkonnen -
Leader of the House of Harkonnen. The baron is the
mortal enemy of the House of Atreides. The baron is very fat, and
his bulk is supported by electronic suspenders.
Thufir Hawat -
Duke
Leto’s master of assassins. Hawat is a well-known Mentat, or a person
trained to act completely logically. He serves as Leto’s main strategist
and confidant. Hawat is old, having served three generations of
Atreides. He has also trained Paul in combat and tactics.
Gurney Halleck -
Duke
Leto’s master of arms, or war master. Halleck is well trained in
the use of numerous weapons, and he is particularly good at swordplay
with the use of personal electronic body shields. He is fond of
music and plays the baliset, a guitarlike instrument. He has trained
Paul in the art of personal combat and is an old friend of the Atreides’s.
Duncan Idaho -
Duke
Leto’s swordmaster. Duncan is a skilled warrior and a faithful servant
of the duke and his family.
Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam -
Spiritual leader of the Bene Gesserit. Mohiam is
old and serves as the emperor’s truthsayer, a person who can tell
the emperor whether someone is lying. Before he leaves for Arrakis, Mohiam
puts Paul through a severe test of endurance.
Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen -
Nephew of Baron Harkonnen. Feyd-Rautha is the baron’s
first choice for an heir. The baron hopes to secure a vast amount
of power for the Harkonnen family before Feyd-Rautha comes into
his inheritance. Feyd-Rautha is nearly the same age as Paul.
Piter -
Baron
Harkonnen’s Mentat, a human trained to think logically, rationally,
and mathematically to be the perfect adviser. Piter is ambitious
and scheming, two emotional traits that are unusual and not desired
in a Mentat.
Yueh -
The
Atreides’s doctor. Yueh betrays the Atreides to the Harkonnens.
His betrayal is particularly shocking because at this time, doctors
of the Suk School are supposed to be heavily psychologically conditioned
to never cause harm.
Stilgar -
A
leader of the Fremen, the native people of Arrakis who live in the
desert. Stilgar is wise, experienced, and familiar with the legends
and folklore of the Fremen.
Chani -
Daughter
of Liet-Kynes. Chani is one of the Fremen and has some of the skills
of the Bene Gesserit. She is Paul’s age and gives birth to his first
child.
Emperor Shaddam IV -
The ruler of the Imperium. The emperor is arguably
the most powerful man in the known universe, although he is often
at the mercy of the Spacing Guild, which has a monopoly on space
travel.
Liet-Kynes -
Planetologist
for Arrakis, or an ecologist for planets. Unknown to the Harkonnens,
Liet is also a member of the Fremen. He works with the Fremen to
change Arrakis from a desert planet into a lush, green paradise.
Alia -
Duke
Leto and Jessica’s daughter, and Paul’s sister. Alia’s mother took
the “Water of Life” before she was born. Alia had a conscious awakening
while in the womb and even at her birth was much more intelligent than
most adults.
Shadout Mapes -
A
Fremen and servant of the Atreides. Mapes is the first among the
Fremen to test Jessica and discover that she is a Bene Gesserit.
Mapes is later killed when Dr. Yueh betrays the Atreides to the
Harkonnens.
Princess Irulan -
The emperor’s eldest daughter. In the future, the princess
writes several books about the Muad’Dib, who is a vastly important
figure in the universe’s history.
Jamis -
One
of the Fremen. Paul is forced to kill Jamis when the man challenges
him to a duel to the death.
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