Dr. Wellington Yueh Character Analysis in Dune

Duke Leto’s knowledgeable Suk doctor who is bound to harm no other human due to his Imperial Conditioning. However, Baron Harkonnen is able to convert this conditioning to force Yueh to betray the Atreides. Although the Suk doctor’s treachery results in the Duke’s death, Yueh is able to help Paul Atreides and Lady Jessica escape the Harkonnen attack on the Arrakeen palace.

Dr. Wellington Yueh Quotes in Dune

The Dune quotes below are all either spoken by Dr. Wellington Yueh or refer to Dr. Wellington Yueh. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Muad’Dib learned rapidly because his first training was in how to learn. And the first lesson of all was the basic trust that he could learn. It’s shocking to find how many people do not believe they can learn, and how many more believe learning to be difficult. Muad’Dib knew that every experience carries its lesson.

Related Characters: Princess Irulan (speaker), Paul Atreides / Muad’Dib, Lady Jessica, Duke Leto Atreides, Thufir Hawat, Gurney Halleck, Dr. Wellington Yueh, Duncan Idaho

Page Number and Citation: 106

Explanation and Analysis:

Dr. Wellington Yueh Character Timeline in Dune

The timeline below shows where the character Dr. Wellington Yueh appears in Dune. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...Paul considers what he has learned about the desert planet from his teacher Dr. Wellington Yueh. The planet is run on a “faufreluches” system—a feudal class structure. However the indigenous people,... (full context)

...turn one of the most trusted members of Duke Leto’s household to his cause—Dr. Wellington Yueh will betray House Atreides. The Baron is adamant that before the Duke dies, he must... (full context)

...plan to destroy House Atreides. It hinges on the Baron’s success in having turned Dr. Yueh a traitor against the Atreides. This is a surprising coup because Yueh is a Suk... (full context)

...of Assasins Thufir Hawat, swordmaster Duncan Idaho, and the knowledgeable (and later traitorous) Dr. Wellington Yueh. Muad’Dib also benefitted greatly from his mother Lady Jessica’s Bene Gesserit teachings, and Duke Leto’s... (full context)

Princess Irulan’s epigraph is an entry on Dr. Wellington Yueh from “Dictionary of Muad’Dib.” Yueh is a graduate of the Suk School for Imperial Conditioning... (full context)

Environment and Human Culture Theme Icon

...Paul Atreides meets with another one of his teachers in the training room. Dr. Wellington Yueh teaches Paul new information about life on Arrakis. Yueh confirms previous accounts that the Fremen... (full context)

Throughout their conversation, Yueh reflects privately on his upcoming betrayal of House Atreides. He is conflicted and already regrets... (full context)

Before leaving Paul, Yueh gives him an Orange Catholic Bible. It small, about the size of Paul’s thumbnail, and... (full context)

At Yueh’s urging, Paul reads aloud a verse from the Orange Catholic Bible. The doctor quickly stops... (full context)

Duke Leto Atreides, Paul’s father, joins Paul and Dr. Yueh in the training room. Leto confirms that they leave for Arrakis tomorrow, and comments on... (full context)

The epigraph from Princess Irulan’s text “A Child’s History of Muad’Dib” is the short quote “‘Yueh! Yueh! Yueh!’ goes the refrain. ‘A million deaths were not enough for Yueh!’” (full context)

Searching for Paul, Lady Jessica finds Yueh in one of her son’s rooms with Paul asleep next door. Jessica and Yueh discuss... (full context)

Throughout their conversation, Yueh feels great regret at the knowledge he will betray Jessica, Duke Leto, and Paul. He... (full context)

Paul Atreides pretends to be asleep while his mother, Jessica, talks with Dr. Yueh in the next room. When she leaves, Paul gets up, but freezes when he notices... (full context)

After leaving her conversation with Dr. Yueh, Lady Jessica discovers a secret conservatory in the palace. It is a lush space filled... (full context)

...Fenring’s warnings to Paul, and they consider whether the traitor could be Thufir Hawat, Dr. Yueh, Gurney Halleck, Duncan Idaho, or another trusted household member. Before leaving the conservatory, Jessica notices... (full context)

As his body is overcome by paralysis, Duke Leto turns over and sees that Dr. Yueh is the traitor. Yueh has turned off the house generators, leaving the Atreides household unprotected... (full context)

Yueh feels a great relief in executing his revenge on House Harkonnen, but is also extremely... (full context)

...her truthsense that the Baron is lying either way; Piter chooses Arrakis. Jessica realizes that Yueh is the traitor who has handed the Atriedes to the Baron. When she realizes that... (full context)

...and Jessica. The pair are then flown into the desert by two Harkonnen guards. At Yueh’s suggestion, Baron Harkonnen has ordered the mother and son to be killed there so that... (full context)

...ornithopter that brought them to the desert, Paul and Jessica discover a bundle hidden by Yueh that contains stillsuits, food, and Leto’s ducal ring. Suddenly another ornithopter appears in the distance,... (full context)

The narrative cuts back in time briefly. Dr. Yueh has implanted a false tooth in the paralyzed and unconscious Duke Leto’s mouth. Meanwhile, Harkonnen... (full context)

The Baron Harkonnen calls for Dr. Yueh to present himself. Although the Baron has promised to reunite Yueh with his kidnapped wife,... (full context)

...Paul and Jessica in a ring of desert rocks. Idaho escaped the Harkonnen attack with Yueh’s aid, and the doctor directed him to help Jessica and Paul. Jessica and Paul wait... (full context)

Paul and Jessica are able to read the final message that the Dr. Yueh left for them alongside Leto’s ducal ring in their bundle of supplies. The Suk doctor... (full context)