God Emperor of Dune

Leto exhibits his body during the Siaynoq ritual, but in his initial interactions with Duncan and Hwi, he sits in a darkened or sunken room. Why does Leto show his body in different ways to different people? How does he feel about his own physical form? How do others view it?

What role does family and lineage play in the novel? Do filial bonds outweigh other loyalties such as those to the empire, to a god, or to the Golden Path? Consider the father-daughter dynamic between Moneo and Siona, Duncan’s devotion to his memory of the Atreides family, Leto’s inheritance of Paul Muad’Dib’s empire and cognitive powers, Leto’s struggle with his ancestral memories, and Leto’s metaphorical reference to humanity as his child.

Compare and contrast the women in the novel. What is Leto’s view of women’s role in society? How does it differ from men’s roles? Does Herbert provide representations of powerful women, or do Leto’s essentialist assumptions undermine female agency? Some characters to consider are Hwi, Siona, Nayla, the Fish Speakers, and the Bene Gesserit.