Did the Atreides family and staff know of Lady Jessica's role in the Bene Gesserit breeding program?












1















In Dune, the Bene Gesserit breeding scheme is, in theory, to have come to full fruition from the union of an Atreides daughter (planned to be born of the Bene Gesserit Lady Jessica and the Duke Leto Atreides) and Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, nephew of the Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (himself secretly the natural father of the Lady Jessica). This plan is disrupted when Jessica chooses to conceive an Atreides son rather than the daughter she had been ordered to produce.



The Bene Gesserit are loyal only to themselves. To attain their goals and avoid outside interference, they often screen themselves with the illusion of being loyal to other groups or individuals. Their every move is calculated toward a result.



I would understand if Lady Jessica was secretive about her mission to produce a daughter given her training as a Bene Gesserit. Also seems a big betrayal of her lover, Duke Leto I, to not tell him that Reverend Mother Mohiam wanted an Atreides daughter.



enter image description here



Did she know why the sisterhood expected her to produce a daughter?



And if she did know why, did anybody else in the Atreides household know?










share|improve this question























  • No, absolutely not. The entire point of the BG breeding programme, basically using the scions of the great houses as studs and mares to be farmed and bred according to their own plan, was that it was completely secret, both in its existence and end-goal.

    – Valorum
    3 hours ago
















1















In Dune, the Bene Gesserit breeding scheme is, in theory, to have come to full fruition from the union of an Atreides daughter (planned to be born of the Bene Gesserit Lady Jessica and the Duke Leto Atreides) and Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, nephew of the Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (himself secretly the natural father of the Lady Jessica). This plan is disrupted when Jessica chooses to conceive an Atreides son rather than the daughter she had been ordered to produce.



The Bene Gesserit are loyal only to themselves. To attain their goals and avoid outside interference, they often screen themselves with the illusion of being loyal to other groups or individuals. Their every move is calculated toward a result.



I would understand if Lady Jessica was secretive about her mission to produce a daughter given her training as a Bene Gesserit. Also seems a big betrayal of her lover, Duke Leto I, to not tell him that Reverend Mother Mohiam wanted an Atreides daughter.



enter image description here



Did she know why the sisterhood expected her to produce a daughter?



And if she did know why, did anybody else in the Atreides household know?










share|improve this question























  • No, absolutely not. The entire point of the BG breeding programme, basically using the scions of the great houses as studs and mares to be farmed and bred according to their own plan, was that it was completely secret, both in its existence and end-goal.

    – Valorum
    3 hours ago














1












1








1








In Dune, the Bene Gesserit breeding scheme is, in theory, to have come to full fruition from the union of an Atreides daughter (planned to be born of the Bene Gesserit Lady Jessica and the Duke Leto Atreides) and Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, nephew of the Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (himself secretly the natural father of the Lady Jessica). This plan is disrupted when Jessica chooses to conceive an Atreides son rather than the daughter she had been ordered to produce.



The Bene Gesserit are loyal only to themselves. To attain their goals and avoid outside interference, they often screen themselves with the illusion of being loyal to other groups or individuals. Their every move is calculated toward a result.



I would understand if Lady Jessica was secretive about her mission to produce a daughter given her training as a Bene Gesserit. Also seems a big betrayal of her lover, Duke Leto I, to not tell him that Reverend Mother Mohiam wanted an Atreides daughter.



enter image description here



Did she know why the sisterhood expected her to produce a daughter?



And if she did know why, did anybody else in the Atreides household know?










share|improve this question














In Dune, the Bene Gesserit breeding scheme is, in theory, to have come to full fruition from the union of an Atreides daughter (planned to be born of the Bene Gesserit Lady Jessica and the Duke Leto Atreides) and Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, nephew of the Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (himself secretly the natural father of the Lady Jessica). This plan is disrupted when Jessica chooses to conceive an Atreides son rather than the daughter she had been ordered to produce.



The Bene Gesserit are loyal only to themselves. To attain their goals and avoid outside interference, they often screen themselves with the illusion of being loyal to other groups or individuals. Their every move is calculated toward a result.



I would understand if Lady Jessica was secretive about her mission to produce a daughter given her training as a Bene Gesserit. Also seems a big betrayal of her lover, Duke Leto I, to not tell him that Reverend Mother Mohiam wanted an Atreides daughter.



enter image description here



Did she know why the sisterhood expected her to produce a daughter?



And if she did know why, did anybody else in the Atreides household know?







dune bene-gesserit






share|improve this question













share|improve this question











share|improve this question




share|improve this question










asked 3 hours ago









RichSRichS

18.1k1696248




18.1k1696248













  • No, absolutely not. The entire point of the BG breeding programme, basically using the scions of the great houses as studs and mares to be farmed and bred according to their own plan, was that it was completely secret, both in its existence and end-goal.

    – Valorum
    3 hours ago



















  • No, absolutely not. The entire point of the BG breeding programme, basically using the scions of the great houses as studs and mares to be farmed and bred according to their own plan, was that it was completely secret, both in its existence and end-goal.

    – Valorum
    3 hours ago

















No, absolutely not. The entire point of the BG breeding programme, basically using the scions of the great houses as studs and mares to be farmed and bred according to their own plan, was that it was completely secret, both in its existence and end-goal.

– Valorum
3 hours ago





No, absolutely not. The entire point of the BG breeding programme, basically using the scions of the great houses as studs and mares to be farmed and bred according to their own plan, was that it was completely secret, both in its existence and end-goal.

– Valorum
3 hours ago










1 Answer
1






active

oldest

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1














What did Jessica know?



Jessica was aware of both the need and reason for her to bear a daughter as well as the Bene Gesserit long-term goal of producing the Kwisatz Haderach from the Atreides bloodline.




“So I had a son!” Jessica flared. And she knew she was being goaded into this anger deliberately.

“You were told to bear only daughters to the Atreides.”

“It meant so much to him,” Jessica pleaded.
“And you in your pride thought you could produce the Kwisatz Haderach!”



Dune




Jessica was kept unaware that she was the daughter of the Baron Harkonnen, presumably so that she wouldn't have to lie to the Duke about her heritage and to forestall any objections she might have to her daughter being wed to so close a relative as the Baron's nephew.




He said: “But my mother tells me many Bene Gesserit of the schools don’t know their ancestry.”

“The genetic lines are always in our records,” she said. “Your mother knows that either she’s of Bene Gesserit descent or her stock was acceptable in itself.”

“Then why couldn’t she know who her parents are?”

“Some do . . . Many don’t. We might, for example, have wanted to breed her to a close relative to set up a dominant in some genetic trait. We have many reasons.”






What did the Duke and the other noble houses know?



Given the depths of the Duke's antipathy toward the Harkonnen, it's unlikely that he was aware or would have approved of the most visible part of the short-term plan (to marry an Atreides daughter to the Harkonnen heir) although he was a supremely pragmatic man and could, probably have been talked into it.




“No.” She shrugged. “There’s good political reason–as long as my Duke
remains unmarried some of the Great Houses can still hope for
alliance. And . . . ” She sighed. “




He, and his fellow nobles, was obviously entirely unaware of the very long-term (and very very secret) BG plan to breed a superhuman capable of transcending time and ruling the galaxy.




Because the Bene Gesserit operated for centuries behind the blind of a
semi-mystic school while carrying on their selective breeding program
among humans
, we tend to award them with more status than they appear
to deserve. Analysis of their “trial of fact” on the Arrakis Affair
betrays the school’s profound ignorance of its own role







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    What did Jessica know?



    Jessica was aware of both the need and reason for her to bear a daughter as well as the Bene Gesserit long-term goal of producing the Kwisatz Haderach from the Atreides bloodline.




    “So I had a son!” Jessica flared. And she knew she was being goaded into this anger deliberately.

    “You were told to bear only daughters to the Atreides.”

    “It meant so much to him,” Jessica pleaded.
    “And you in your pride thought you could produce the Kwisatz Haderach!”



    Dune




    Jessica was kept unaware that she was the daughter of the Baron Harkonnen, presumably so that she wouldn't have to lie to the Duke about her heritage and to forestall any objections she might have to her daughter being wed to so close a relative as the Baron's nephew.




    He said: “But my mother tells me many Bene Gesserit of the schools don’t know their ancestry.”

    “The genetic lines are always in our records,” she said. “Your mother knows that either she’s of Bene Gesserit descent or her stock was acceptable in itself.”

    “Then why couldn’t she know who her parents are?”

    “Some do . . . Many don’t. We might, for example, have wanted to breed her to a close relative to set up a dominant in some genetic trait. We have many reasons.”






    What did the Duke and the other noble houses know?



    Given the depths of the Duke's antipathy toward the Harkonnen, it's unlikely that he was aware or would have approved of the most visible part of the short-term plan (to marry an Atreides daughter to the Harkonnen heir) although he was a supremely pragmatic man and could, probably have been talked into it.




    “No.” She shrugged. “There’s good political reason–as long as my Duke
    remains unmarried some of the Great Houses can still hope for
    alliance. And . . . ” She sighed. “




    He, and his fellow nobles, was obviously entirely unaware of the very long-term (and very very secret) BG plan to breed a superhuman capable of transcending time and ruling the galaxy.




    Because the Bene Gesserit operated for centuries behind the blind of a
    semi-mystic school while carrying on their selective breeding program
    among humans
    , we tend to award them with more status than they appear
    to deserve. Analysis of their “trial of fact” on the Arrakis Affair
    betrays the school’s profound ignorance of its own role







    share|improve this answer






























      1














      What did Jessica know?



      Jessica was aware of both the need and reason for her to bear a daughter as well as the Bene Gesserit long-term goal of producing the Kwisatz Haderach from the Atreides bloodline.




      “So I had a son!” Jessica flared. And she knew she was being goaded into this anger deliberately.

      “You were told to bear only daughters to the Atreides.”

      “It meant so much to him,” Jessica pleaded.
      “And you in your pride thought you could produce the Kwisatz Haderach!”



      Dune




      Jessica was kept unaware that she was the daughter of the Baron Harkonnen, presumably so that she wouldn't have to lie to the Duke about her heritage and to forestall any objections she might have to her daughter being wed to so close a relative as the Baron's nephew.




      He said: “But my mother tells me many Bene Gesserit of the schools don’t know their ancestry.”

      “The genetic lines are always in our records,” she said. “Your mother knows that either she’s of Bene Gesserit descent or her stock was acceptable in itself.”

      “Then why couldn’t she know who her parents are?”

      “Some do . . . Many don’t. We might, for example, have wanted to breed her to a close relative to set up a dominant in some genetic trait. We have many reasons.”






      What did the Duke and the other noble houses know?



      Given the depths of the Duke's antipathy toward the Harkonnen, it's unlikely that he was aware or would have approved of the most visible part of the short-term plan (to marry an Atreides daughter to the Harkonnen heir) although he was a supremely pragmatic man and could, probably have been talked into it.




      “No.” She shrugged. “There’s good political reason–as long as my Duke
      remains unmarried some of the Great Houses can still hope for
      alliance. And . . . ” She sighed. “




      He, and his fellow nobles, was obviously entirely unaware of the very long-term (and very very secret) BG plan to breed a superhuman capable of transcending time and ruling the galaxy.




      Because the Bene Gesserit operated for centuries behind the blind of a
      semi-mystic school while carrying on their selective breeding program
      among humans
      , we tend to award them with more status than they appear
      to deserve. Analysis of their “trial of fact” on the Arrakis Affair
      betrays the school’s profound ignorance of its own role







      share|improve this answer




























        1












        1








        1







        What did Jessica know?



        Jessica was aware of both the need and reason for her to bear a daughter as well as the Bene Gesserit long-term goal of producing the Kwisatz Haderach from the Atreides bloodline.




        “So I had a son!” Jessica flared. And she knew she was being goaded into this anger deliberately.

        “You were told to bear only daughters to the Atreides.”

        “It meant so much to him,” Jessica pleaded.
        “And you in your pride thought you could produce the Kwisatz Haderach!”



        Dune




        Jessica was kept unaware that she was the daughter of the Baron Harkonnen, presumably so that she wouldn't have to lie to the Duke about her heritage and to forestall any objections she might have to her daughter being wed to so close a relative as the Baron's nephew.




        He said: “But my mother tells me many Bene Gesserit of the schools don’t know their ancestry.”

        “The genetic lines are always in our records,” she said. “Your mother knows that either she’s of Bene Gesserit descent or her stock was acceptable in itself.”

        “Then why couldn’t she know who her parents are?”

        “Some do . . . Many don’t. We might, for example, have wanted to breed her to a close relative to set up a dominant in some genetic trait. We have many reasons.”






        What did the Duke and the other noble houses know?



        Given the depths of the Duke's antipathy toward the Harkonnen, it's unlikely that he was aware or would have approved of the most visible part of the short-term plan (to marry an Atreides daughter to the Harkonnen heir) although he was a supremely pragmatic man and could, probably have been talked into it.




        “No.” She shrugged. “There’s good political reason–as long as my Duke
        remains unmarried some of the Great Houses can still hope for
        alliance. And . . . ” She sighed. “




        He, and his fellow nobles, was obviously entirely unaware of the very long-term (and very very secret) BG plan to breed a superhuman capable of transcending time and ruling the galaxy.




        Because the Bene Gesserit operated for centuries behind the blind of a
        semi-mystic school while carrying on their selective breeding program
        among humans
        , we tend to award them with more status than they appear
        to deserve. Analysis of their “trial of fact” on the Arrakis Affair
        betrays the school’s profound ignorance of its own role







        share|improve this answer















        What did Jessica know?



        Jessica was aware of both the need and reason for her to bear a daughter as well as the Bene Gesserit long-term goal of producing the Kwisatz Haderach from the Atreides bloodline.




        “So I had a son!” Jessica flared. And she knew she was being goaded into this anger deliberately.

        “You were told to bear only daughters to the Atreides.”

        “It meant so much to him,” Jessica pleaded.
        “And you in your pride thought you could produce the Kwisatz Haderach!”



        Dune




        Jessica was kept unaware that she was the daughter of the Baron Harkonnen, presumably so that she wouldn't have to lie to the Duke about her heritage and to forestall any objections she might have to her daughter being wed to so close a relative as the Baron's nephew.




        He said: “But my mother tells me many Bene Gesserit of the schools don’t know their ancestry.”

        “The genetic lines are always in our records,” she said. “Your mother knows that either she’s of Bene Gesserit descent or her stock was acceptable in itself.”

        “Then why couldn’t she know who her parents are?”

        “Some do . . . Many don’t. We might, for example, have wanted to breed her to a close relative to set up a dominant in some genetic trait. We have many reasons.”






        What did the Duke and the other noble houses know?



        Given the depths of the Duke's antipathy toward the Harkonnen, it's unlikely that he was aware or would have approved of the most visible part of the short-term plan (to marry an Atreides daughter to the Harkonnen heir) although he was a supremely pragmatic man and could, probably have been talked into it.




        “No.” She shrugged. “There’s good political reason–as long as my Duke
        remains unmarried some of the Great Houses can still hope for
        alliance. And . . . ” She sighed. “




        He, and his fellow nobles, was obviously entirely unaware of the very long-term (and very very secret) BG plan to breed a superhuman capable of transcending time and ruling the galaxy.




        Because the Bene Gesserit operated for centuries behind the blind of a
        semi-mystic school while carrying on their selective breeding program
        among humans
        , we tend to award them with more status than they appear
        to deserve. Analysis of their “trial of fact” on the Arrakis Affair
        betrays the school’s profound ignorance of its own role








        share|improve this answer














        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer








        edited 3 hours ago

























        answered 3 hours ago









        ValorumValorum

        398k10428973129




        398k10428973129






























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