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  • Essay / Humanity in "Dune" by Frank Herbert

    Fiction has created the opportunity for humanity to explore concepts in an experimental and safe arena. The Anthropocene has seen the harmful consequences of experimentation on the human species, which is why it is essential that literature has the parameters for experimentation. This essay will establish Frank Herbert's Dune (2010) as a key text in Anthropocene literature. It explores our world by building a similar, yet different world, allowing us to experiment and discuss issues related to the survival of our species and our world. This essay will establish the idea of ​​the Anthropocene and discuss this idea in a literary context. This essay will use Dune (2010) as an example of how the Anthropocene is approached in literature. The Anthropocene will be discussed in terms of ecology, geology, politics, economics and evolution. This essay will argue that Dune (2010) creates a discourse about human impact on the environment. It will be argued that human intervention initially created greater opportunities for the human species; However, due to substantial environmental changes caused by humanity, conditions have become increasingly poor for the majority of people. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essayThe Anthropocene refers to the era we currently find ourselves in. Savi (2017, p. 945) states that the Anthropocene is the result of changes in the environment caused by humans. These human-caused changes have been so influential that they have significantly altered our geological and ecological environment (Savi 2017, pp. 945-6). Climate change is the primary concern for human survival (Savi 2017, p. 950). One of the causes of climate change is the excessive exploitation of the Earth's resources. Frank Herbert's Dune (2010) discusses the consequences of such events. Wealthy parties, whose interests are more aligned with power and domination, exploit the planet Arrakis for its spices. Their greed and struggle for power views the planet Arrakis and its inhabitants as property to be used as its owners wish. They neglect to think about the environmental consequences and don't seriously think about what will happen when they have extracted all the spices on the planet. People who consume this spice become addicted to it and cannot survive without it. Eliminating the existence of the spice would amount to massacre and their own suicide. While the Empire wants to exploit the planet for its resources, the Fremans want to make it a green and fertile land rather than the infertile desert planet that it is. Another environmental problem seen on the planet Arrakis is water scarcity. Water is the equivalent of wealth on Arrakis. It is not easy to obtain and is therefore coveted. Ronny Parkerson (2010, p. 404) views Dune (Herbert 2010) as an examination of ecology and “the relationship and interaction between organisms and their environments.” The Fremans have a deep connection to their planet, which becomes the basis of their religion. Water, as a precious commodity, becomes the divine property of the people rather than of the individual. The Fremans know that they cannot survive the trials of the desert alone, but that they must come together to survive. They also have an advantage over the Empire's leaders and soldiers, as they understand that the planet belongs to the worms. and that worms cannot be controlled. They are deified creatures who must be respected and not hunted. This idea of ​​hunting non-human species is what we see inthe Anthropocene. Humans have hunted animals since they evolved, so much so that many species have become extinct due to hunting practices or other human activities (Craig 2017). Melina Pereira Savi (2017) examines the role of fiction, arguing that it allows us to explore boundaries using a system of “thought experiment” (p. 956). Terrance Craig (2017, p. 15) goes so far as to suggest that literature has been a catalyst for hunting practices, where humanity is revered and humans are the figure of power. Dune worms (Herbert 2010) are feared by those outside of Arrakis, which could be attributed to the worms' destructive behaviors or lack of understanding among the people. Although the Fremans use the worms for their own desires, they respect the worms and this respect allows the two to live in harmony and travel unharmed through the worms' territories. Savi (2017, 955) discusses the consequences of environmental changes in the Anthropocene and identifies displacement as a climate change problem. The Fremans are driven from their homes and into the desert of Arrakis where the Empire does not dare venture. This implies that the Freman is inferior to the Empire due to socio-economic differences. The Empire possesses wealth and power, while the Fremans live in poor conditions with little wealth except their water reserves and their unrivaled knowledge of the environment. The Empire is not interested in water, but it needs the Fremans for its knowledge. However, this fact is not enough to prevent their movement. Heather Eaton and Lois Ann Lorentzen (cited in Savi 2017, p. 950) discuss the idea of ​​ecofeminism, which is the concept that addresses environmental issues in relation to women. The debate has three parts: women are the demographic group most affected by environmental issues; the idea of ​​women as body, or nature, and men as spirit; and because women are more affected by environmental problems, they possess the most knowledge and expertise, making them more likely to find solutions to these problems (Savi 2017, pp.950-1). We see these ideas about women and the environment throughout Dune (2010). There is the idea that the role of women in society is one of reproduction. As Lorenzo DiTommaso (1992, p. 317) states, the Bene Gesserit are known to possess great intelligence in political matters, their main goal being to produce intelligent offspring. Although Dune (2010) rejects certain gender roles, it largely imitates them. Although the Bene Gesserit are known to be intelligent, they are called witches for this intelligence. This contrasts with the Mentats whose intelligence in calculation and analysis is celebrated and their cunning is praised, even when opposed to the desired outcome. Dune (2010) also sparks discussion about humanity's evolution into a larger, more intelligent species. . There is the idea of ​​becoming more than human (DiTommaso 1992, p. 317). The specialized training of the Bene Gesserit and Mentats as well as the privileged training of the Guild (mathematics and navigation) testify to the evolution of the Empire towards the improvement of the human race. The goal of the Bene Gesserit is to produce the Kwisatz Haderach who will be superhuman. This individual will possess unparalleled intelligence and influence. Paul Atreides is the Kwisatz Haderach and has the ability to be “in many places at once” (Herbert 2010, p. 20). The Kwisatz Haderach is the person who will destroy the “imperialist globalization” of Empire (Williams 2002, para. 4) and bring with him a new world of emancipation from the state and true freedom. This..