The Messiah of ‘Dune’: Paul Atreides, the Kwisatz Haderach

Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series of articles on the Christian symbolism found in the book “Dune” by author Frank Herbert, in preparation for the upcoming film “Dune” directed by Denis Villeneuve. 

The Dune series of books by Frank Herbert is rich in Christian symbolism, especially Messianic symbolism. One of the books of Hebert’s series is even titled Dune: Messiah.

Paul Atreides is the Messiah of Dune, the desert planet of Arrakis. He is the Kwisatz Haderach who will lead the people to “true freedom” and the Promised Land.

The desert Messiah of Dune is known by multiple names, even as the Messiah was also known as the “Lion of Judah” and the “Righteous Branch” from the stump of Jesse. Likewise, the Dune Messiah is known as the Kwisatz Haderach to the Bene Gessarit and Muad’Dib to the Fremen.

Biblical Symbolism is Intentional

This is not accidental Christian symbolism. It is very much intentional. When explaining the term “Muad’Dib” to Duke Leto, the character Thufir Hawat actually describes the Muad’Dib as following the “Messianic pattern”.

The term Kwisatz Haderach is also likely derived from the Hebrew-Kabbalistic term, Kefitzat Ha’derech. In Hebrew, Kefitzat Ha’derech, literally “the Leap of the Way,” describes the way an initiate may travel some distance instantaneously, even appearing to be in two or more places at once.[1] This is basically describing teleportation or, in Catholic terms, bi-location, a hallmark of living saints.

Temptations in the Desert

Like Christ, Paul Atreides is also the son of a king (or a Duke). Also like Christ, Paul Atreides must go undergo a series of trials or temptations, mostly in the desert.

• Paul Atreides is first tested by Reverend Mother Gaius Mohiam with the Gom Jabbar, a meta-cyanide poisoned needle. This also foreshadows his drinking of the poisonous Water of Life.
• Paul Muad’Dib is then tested by the Water of Life after being received into the ranks of the Fremen. Paul takes this ordeal upon himself, knowing it is his Messianic destiny to do so.
• After surviving the ordeal of drinking the Water of Life, Paul Muad’Dib fulfills the Fremen’s prophesies concerning the Messiah, including conquering the great sandworm, Shai-Hulud
• “The sleeper has awakened”: The Water of Life is a Messianic fulfillment, the passage through death and new life. More on the Water of Life at the end of this article.
• To fulfill another prophesy, Paul must go into the desert and conquer Shai-Hulud, the great sandworm. In this sense, the Sandworm is like satan, the serpent, which Christ must overcome through a series of temptations – or trials as it is for Paul Atreides.

The phrase “the sleeper has awakened” might seem familiar to you, especially during the Easter season. Ephesians 5:14 includes the following description:

“Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead,
and Christ shall give you light.”

Likewise, Paul Atreides is the sleeper that awakes from the death imposed by drinking the Water of Life.

The Messiah Conquers Satan

The Fremen viewed the great sandworms as physical embodiments of the One God of their original Zensunni religion, rather than a satanic figure. This is not necessarily a contradiction, as Judaism and Christianity both exposed many pagan religions as worshiping demons instead of the one, true God.

Frank Herbert wrote a 1977 essay “Sandworms of Dune” describing the function of sandworms in his story.[1]  Sandworms, Herbert said, provide the danger and mystery of terra incognita. Paul Atreides must confront this terror to transform and then overcome his enemies. Great power and knowledge must come at a great price. This is why Paul must risk being devoured by the sandworm Shai-Hulud and the madness of the consuming the Water of Life, the extract of the sandworm.

A Destiny Written in the Stars

Lady Jessica first notices the Muad’Dib among the constellations in the desert manual following their escape from Baron’s men. The Muad’Dib is the desert mouse, and the tail of its constellation points north. Similarly, the Messiah had its own star among the Hebrews. I have written more about the constellation Leo and the Lion of Judah here.

Footnotes

[1] Weingrad, Michael, “Jews of Dune,” Jewish Review of Books: March 29, 2015.

[2] Herbert, Frank, “Sandworms of Dune”, O’Reilly, Tim (ed.). The Maker of Dune: Thoughts of a Science Fiction Master. Berkley Books

Original article was published on The Scott Smith Blog