(WARNING: Contains spoilers for the ending of Dune, plot details for Dune: Messiah and the Consul’s tale in Hyperion)
Postcolonialism is the study of the ongoing cultural, political and economic impact that colonialism has had on colonized regions. The books “Dune” by Frank Herbert and “Hyperion” by Dan Simmons both deal heavily with the consequences of colonialism on indigenous culture by exploring themes of exploitation, resistance, and cultural homogeneity. It is my hope that through the comparative analysis of both of these works I can begin to unravel the complex interaction between the colonizer and colonized, while also shedding light on the struggle for autonomy and heterogeneity in the indigenous populations of today.
“Dune” is a novel that is heavily centered on the planet of Arrakis/Dune. This world contains an invaluable resource known as Melange more colloquially referred to as “spice”, and an indigenous population known as the Fremen. In the universe of Dune humanity has sworn to never make another machine in the likeness of the human mind. Without AI or calculating machines to plot interstellar travel, we instead rely on the mind altering properties of the spice, Melange. Consumption of the spice prolongs our life and allows for the super-human computations and prescience necessary to operate the space folding heighliners pivotal to the economy of the far future. Thus creating both a biological and economic dependency on this resource. Arrakis serves as a quintessential example of a colonized world, it’s worth measured by its abundance in spice by the hegemonic Imperium.
Throughout the book Herbert paints a vivid picture of the exploitation inherent to colonialism, as well as the resistance that it may eventually incite. Relegated to second-class citizens in their own land, the Fremen fight back against their invaders. This is the point where the world of Dune would enter the state of postcolonialism. When the indigenous reject the cultural ideas of the invaders and initiate guerilla warfare that is often aggressive and apocalyptic in nature relative to the norm of society prior to its colonization with a binaristic “us vs them” mentality.(Hoagland, 24) In the lore of Dune, the Fremen are descendants of the Arabic people of Earth, with much of the fictional language drawing from Arabic influences. I believe that when writing this story, Herbert was likely drawing on the postcolonialism struggle endured by the people in the Middle East. Both civilizations live in a harsh desert environment that is fought over by the strongest foreign powers for it’s incredibly valuable and rare resource that is capable of fueling entire economies. Following World War II, the vast colonial structures of Europe in African and Middle Eastern countries were unable to be maintained, resulting in many former colonies becoming independent states through armed struggle. The United States capitalized on this economic upset by occupying various Middle Eastern regions to capitalize on their relative abundance in oil.(Quinn, 4) The parallels between the subjugation of these two cultures end there however. In Dune, with the help of their Mua ’Dib the Fremen are able to overthrow their colonizers as well as the central imperium in power. Whereas many regions of the Middle East and Africa still find themselves in turmoil as a result from internal conflict and the effects of postcolonialism.(Manning, 18) Based on the ending of the first Dune book, one might assume that Herbert wrote the story from an anti-colonialism perspective, with the subjugated Fremen overpowering the empire and reclaiming their lost land for themselves. However the second book in the series proves to reframe the initial theme of “colonization is bad” to something much more thorough in its examination of the effects that colonization has on a region and a people.
At the start of the second book in the Dune series “Dune: Messiah”, we are introduced to the Fremen society 12 years after the events of the first book. With Paul “Muad’Dib” Atreides having ascended to the role of Emperor, the Fremen have become integrated with the trappings of bureaucracy and imperial society. Furthermore, following their religious vigor and faith in their fated Lisan al Gaib being fulfilled after book one; the Fremen have enacted a violent holy jihad against any house who would oppose his rule. This results in the conquering and colonization of planets across the galaxy and a death toll in the billions. This theme of the cycle of violence and the idea that death begets death, is supplemented by the warning Herbert gives the reader towards unwavering nationalism at the expense of the perceived “other”. Yet even from the perspective of the colonizer, we can see a subtle fading of the Fremen culture. The Fremen of Arrakis, who were once isolated from the outside world, are now the focal point of an empire. A lifestyle that once required self-sufficiency, disciplined rationing, and extreme resourcefulness in a planet that was uncaring towards your livelihood has been warped into a dependency on external trade and commerce. The newfound prosperity has also introduced the idea of inequality between individuals where there was once a shared understanding of the importance of tribal unity.(Hoagland, 28) Likewise, those conquered by the Fremen have been subjected to forced assimilation of their religious fervor towards Muad’Dib. The evidence of this is found in the various pilgrims found on Dune, having arrived for the sole reason of catching sight of their emperor Paul. This form of tourism then has a further negative effect on the original Fremen culture. The foreigners, seeking to emulate their colonizers, wear mock stillsuits. Stillsuits are a symbol of Fremen ingenuity. Hand-crafted and passed down through the generations, the full body apparel is the key to desert survival with its capabilities of capturing and recycling almost all of your body’s excreted water in order to maximize survival in the scorching heat of Dune. However the foreigners wear nonfunctional stillsuits as a way to honor the original, yet only succeeding in tarnishing and altering its original meaning. Dune Messiah highlights the fact that any sort of colonization will result in the increased cultural homogeneity of both nations involved.
In chapter six of Hyperion we are introduced to Maui-Covenant through the consul’s tale. Maui-Covenant is a beautiful ocean world with migrating isles and a rich ecology that contains the “Sea Folk” or dolphins that had been saved from extinction in the final years of Old Earth. Throughout this chapter we see how vehemently the Hegemony wishes to join this planet with the WorldWeb, and through Merin we are told just how inevitable this is.
“What if the farcaster itself were attacked . . . destroyed before it was operational?”
“Impossible”
“Yes, I know, but what if it were?”
“Then the Los Angeles would return nine months later with Hegemony troops who would proceed to kick the shit out of the Separatists . . . and anyone else on Maui-Covenant who got in their way.”Pg.454
Resistance was futile and colonization by the overwhelming force of the Hegemony was only a matter of time. The people of Maui-Covenant faced an agonizing choice: surrender to the yoke of hegemonic colonization and witness before them the erosion of their culture and monopolization of their land, or stand defiant against this oppression, buying a precious few months worth of independence for the price of the lives of men and women they’ve known their entire life, only for your resistance to be inevitably extinguished like a candle in a tsunami. Merin and the people of the Hegemony chose the latter, to catastrophic results.
“The Hegemony did not wait eleven local years to return–-the FORCE torchships were in orbit before five years had elapsed. Father watched as the rebels’ hastily constructed ships were swatted aside. He continued to defend the Hegemony as they laid siege to our world. I remember when I was fifteen, watching with my family from the upper deck of our ancestral isle as a dozen other islands burned in the distance, the Hegemony skimmers lighting the sea with their depth charges. In the morning, the waves were gray with the bodies of dead dolphins.”Pg.463
Perhaps it would have been better for them to salvage what culture they could maintain and submit to hegemonic rule, yet in five generations it would likely be a pale imitation of what it once was. The period of postcolonialism in Maui-covenant resulted in the death of a species, the death of the indigenous, a loss of culture, and the violent disruption of an ecosystem. This is the worst case scenario of colonization, and illustrates the potential dangers of a hegemony that Simmons was attempting to communicate with this chapter.
As we can see from the examples above, when two cultures converge, an inevitable intermixture unfolds, each leaving an indelible mark upon the other. This interplay does not inherently breed conflict. Rather, I believe it represents the very essence of human interaction, wherein the exchange of ideas, customs, and beliefs enriches our capacity for open-mindedness and acceptance of that which we consider queer. Yet, as history attests, such encounters are often tarnished by the tragic consequences of ignorance and indifference, where one culture’s disregard for another precipitates suffering and loss. However the response to this should not be to close ourselves off to all other perspectives and ways of life, but rather to honor the inherent dignity and worth of every culture, and underscore the importance for empathy, understanding, and mutual respect in our collective journey through life.
Work Cited
Hoagland, Erikia. Science Fiction, Imperialism, and the Third World. McFarland and Company, Inc., 2009. p. 217.
Manning, Patrick . “Analyzing the Costs and Benefits of Colonialism.” African Economic History Review, vol. Volume. 1, 1972, https://doi.org/https://www.jstor.org/stable/3601097. Accessed 12 Mar. 2024.
Quinn, John W. IV. “American Imperialism in the Middle East:1920-1950.” 2009, p. 46. Accessed 11 Mar. 2024.
Sprockets and Springes 