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Apart from the famous line, “the spice must flow,” the Litany Against Fear is arguably the most famous passage inDuneand its successor novels. It appears very early on, and is referenced again and again throughout the series. Fans have memorized it for decades, and it was even used in the trailers for the recent film adaptations.
If Dune is to sci-fi what The Lord Of The Rings is to fantasy, then the Litany Against Fear is its equivalent of “one ring to rule them all.” Read on to find out the full significance of this Bene Gesserit recitation.
What Is The Litany Against Fear?
The Litany Against Fear appears in thevery first chapter of the original Dune novel, and reads as follows:
I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn my inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.
The Litany is a part of theBene Gesserit Sisterhood’straining. The Bene Gesserit use a combination of mysticism and ritual to attain full control of their bodies, right down to the internal processes. With their training, recitation of the Litany triggers a response thatsuppresses the natural effects of fearon their nervous system; this allows them to remain calm and disciplined even in the face of danger.
What Does The Litany Against Fear Mean?
While the Litany is typically written as a single paragraph, it can be broken up into three parts, as it is above, each with its own significance. Doing so also helps with memorization, if you feel so inclined.
The first and most famous part of the Litany reminds the user of why they are reciting it in the first place - tosteel themselves against the “mind-killer"and stay calm, resisting the urge to let a fight-or-flight response take over.
In the world of Dune, acting without thinking is very dangerous, and a single mistake can be deadly, so it’s no stretch to say that fear can lead to “total obliteration.”
In the second part, the person reciting the Litany resolves to face their fear head-on. This doesn’t necessarily mean that they’ll directly confront the source of their fear, but rather that they acknowledge that they are afraid and are willing to proceed anyway.
The third part states that, once fear has been faced and acknowledged, an internal transformation happens, processing and neutralizing the fear response in the user. This lets the user think and act clearly, having defeated their fear so that only they remain.
Where Does The Litany Against Fear Appear In The Books?
As a Bene Gesserit technique, the Litany Against Fear is only used in the novels by characters who have some training from the Sisterhood. As a result, it shows up more rarely than you might expect from such a famous passage.
Paul Atreides, who learned Bene Gesserit techniques from his mother Jessica,uses the Litany Against Fearduring the trial of the gom jabbar in the first chapter of Dune. Faced with excruciating pain or an instant death, he uses the Litany to maintain his resolve and pass the test.
BothJessicaandGhanimause the Litany Against Fear inChildren of Dune. Jessica recites it upon her return to Arrakis, faced with the memories of what she endured there and the new dangers she now faces. Ghanima uses the Litany after being attacked and wounded by a Laza tiger in the desert as part of an assassination attempt.
