Dune Character Analysis

Paul Atreides / Muad’Dib

Also known as Usul, Mahdi, Lisan al-Gaib and the Kwisatz Haderach, Paul is the son of Duke Leto and Lady Jessica and older brother of Alia. He is a thoughtful young man of… read analysis of Paul Atreides / Muad’Dib

Lady Jessica

Lady Jessica is Duke Leto’s concubine, Paul’s mother, and a member of the mysterious Bene Gesserit order—a powerful, all-female organization whose secret mission is to progress a genetic breeding program that will bring… read analysis of Lady Jessica

Duke Leto Atreides

A compassionate but doomed noble leader, the Duke is Head of House Atreides. He is a hardworking and responsible commander who dearly loves his concubine, Lady Jessica, and son, Paul. He is well-regarded… read analysis of Duke Leto Atreides

Baron Vladimir Harkonnen

The power-hungry Head of House Harkonnen with a dangerous intellect, who regularly engages in corrupt schemes. The Baron is an enormous man whose morbidly obese weight is held up by anti-gravity suspensors. He spends much… read analysis of Baron Vladimir Harkonnen

Thufir Hawat

Duke Leto’s personal Master of Assassins and Mentat, which is an individual trained to calculate information at a much greater speed and capacity than other humans. Hawat is well-known as one of the… read analysis of Thufir Hawat

Padishah Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV

Ruler of the Known Universe and head of the Imperium, the Emperor is a powerful player in the universe who upholds his rule through political maneuverings and the might of his feared Sardaukar forces… read analysis of Padishah Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV

Alia Atreides / St. Alia-of-the-Knife

A young woman of extraordinary cognitive powers, Alia is born after her father, Duke Leto, is killed and when her mother, Lady Jessica, and brother, Paul, have taken refuge with Stilgar’s… read analysis of Alia Atreides / St. Alia-of-the-Knife

Gurney Halleck

Duke Leto’s weapons master and a renowned fighter. Halleck is proficient with many styles of fighting, training the young Paul Atreides to be the same. He is a humorous man who is also a… read analysis of Gurney Halleck

Dr. Liet-Kynes

The Imperial planetologist (ecologist) on Arrakis. He is at first wary of House Atreides’ arrival to the planet, but is won over by their shared desire to change the Arrakeen climate for more comfortable human… read analysis of Dr. Liet-Kynes

Stilgar

A Fremen leader who challenges and then accepts Paul Atreides and Lady Jessica into his sietch, or Fremen community. He is a wise and capable leader who is so respected by his people that… read analysis of Stilgar

Chani Kynes

A Fremen soldier and daughter of Liet-Kynes, Chani also has some Bene Gesserit talent that makes her a fearsome fighter. Stilgar charges her with guiding Paul Atreides when he is accepted into their Fremen… read analysis of Chani Kynes

Dr. Wellington Yueh

Duke Leto’s knowledgeable Suk doctor who is bound to harm no other human due to his Imperial Conditioning. However, Baron Harkonnen is able to convert this conditioning to force Yueh to betray the… read analysis of Dr. Wellington Yueh

Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam

An elderly leader of the Bene Gesserit order, Mohiam trained Lady Jessica and serves as the Padishah Emperor’s truthsayer. Before Paul Atreides travels to Arrakis, she tests him with the gom jabbar in order… read analysis of Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam

Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen

Favored nephew and heir of Baron Harkonnen. The Baron installs Feyd-Rautha as ruler on Arrakis and aspires for him to one day sit on the Imperial throne. Feyd-Rautha is the same age as Paul… read analysis of Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen

Count Hasimir Fenring

A trusted servant to the Emperor and likely his only friend, Count Fenring is highly intelligent and a skilled fighter. He is married to Lady Margot Fenring, a Bene Gesserit sister. He is also… read analysis of Count Hasimir Fenring

Piter de Vries

A cruel Mentat (human capable of extraordinary information computing) who works for Baron Harkonnen. Piter is an ambitious and bloodthirsty advisor of renowned intellect, who rarely makes mistakes in his logical analysis and predictions… read analysis of Piter de Vries

Harah

A Fremen in Stilgar’s sietch who was married to Jamis. Harah has sons named Kaleff and Orlop, and becomes a member of Paul Atreides’s Fremen household after he kills Jamis in single… read analysis of Harah

Shadout Mapes

A Fremen housekeeper for House Atreides in their Arrakeen palace. Mapes is the first Fremen to test Lady Jessica and realize that she is Bene Gesserit. The housekeeper is a stern and honorable individual… read analysis of Shadout Mapes

Count Glossu Rabban

One of Baron Harkonnen’s nephews, Rabaan ruled Arrakis for House Harkonnen before the events of Dune. When the Harkonnens succeed in overcoming House Atreides and taking command of Arrakis, the Baron reinstates Rabban… read analysis of Count Glossu Rabban

Minor Characters

Duncan Idaho

A skilled sword master and member of House Atreides. Idaho faithfully serves Duke Leto as one of his key staff, while also training Paul Atreides in combat. Idaho dies in an old Arrakeen Imperial base defending Paul and Lady Jessica from attacking Harkonnen forces.

Lady Margot Fenring

The intelligent and beautiful wife to Count Hasimir Fenring who is devoted to loyally serving her Bene Gesserit order. Lady Fenring leaves an encoded message for Lady Jessica in Arrakeen to try and warn her of threats to the Atreides family.

Jamis

A Fremen in Stilgar’s sietch with a wife named Harah, son named Orlop and adopted son name Kaleff. Jamis continually challenges Paul Atreides, resulting in a duel to the death that the young Atreides Duke wins.

Staban Tuek

The son of smuggler Esmar Tuek, Staban takes over leadership of the Arrakeen smugglers after his father’s death. After House Harkonnen takes control of Arrakis from House Atreides, Staban offers sanctuary to Gurney Halleck and his men if they work with his smugglers.

Pardot Kynes

The first planetologist (ecologist) on Arrakis and father of Liet-Kynes. Pardot Kynes appears to his son as a hallucination when Liet-Kynes is dying in the desert. He is also the main focus of Dune’s Appendix I, titled “The Ecology of Dune.”

Princess Irulan

The eldest daughter of Emperor Shaddam IV who marries Paul Atreides when he blackmails her father into abdicating the Imperial throne. Irulan will become a renowned historian; each chapter of Dune begins with an epigraph from one of her future historical texts.

Dune

Frank Herbert

Dune Characters