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The Great Houses are the most powerful houses in the Imperium. In theory, the Great Houses are a key element in the workable feudal model that governs the Imperium. However, many Great Houses misuse their power and blatantly disregard the rights of those they govern. All Great Houses have voting rights in the Landsraad.
Great Houses Quotes in Dune
The Dune quotes below are all either spoken by Great Houses or refer to Great Houses. For each quote, you can also see the other terms and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Book 1, Part 13
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I must rule with eye and claw—as the the hawk among lesser birds.
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Book 1, Part 22
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People are the true strength of a Great House, Paul thought. And he remembered Hawat’s words: “Parting with people is a sadness; a place is only a place.”
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Great Houses Term Timeline in Dune
The timeline below shows where the term Great Houses appears in Dune. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Book 1, Part 2
...the Baron is responsible for his downfall. The Baron also wants the rest of the Great Houses to also learn about his treachery as “the knowledge will give them pause.”
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...has pledged this secret support because he is threatened by Duke Leto’s popularity amongst the Great Houses .
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Book 1, Part 12
...as boosting his protective forces. Hawat and the Duke’s men raise their frustrations that the Great Houses who have previously vocalized their support of Duke Leto are now refusing to be involved...
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Book 2, Part 3
...bringing the truth of the Arrakis attacks before Landsraad High Council. This will enrage the Great Houses of the Landsraad: if they learn that the Emperor helped to attack House Atreides, the...
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Book 2, Part 13
...not have remained on Arrakis any longer to help eliminate the Fremen because the other Great Houses would have discovered the Padishah Emperor’s secret support of the Baron’s attack on Duke Leto’s...
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...actually hopes this will occur so that he can gain the support of the other Great Houses . He knows that in such a situation the Great Houses will fear that the...
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Book 3, Part 4
The epigraph from Princess Irulan’s text “Arrakis Awakening” details Muad’Dib’s secret message to the Great Houses of the Landsraad. He asks them to consider if they are profitable rulers or if...
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Book 3, Part 8
...Hawat, and the Padishah Emperor himself. Furthermore there are representative raiders from all of the Great Houses in the epic force, waiting to attack Arrakis.
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Book 3, Part 9
...the Emperor the chance to raise the Atreides flag to restore House Atreides to the Great Houses and as the ruling body on Arrakis. If this was to occur, Paul would order...
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Halleck and Stilgar worry about the Guild and Great Houses that are still poised in a fleet above Arrakis. However, Paul knows that they can’t...
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Book 3, Part 11
...talk down to Paul, blaming him for the warfare and threatening that the Guild and Great Houses are poised to fight for the Emperor.
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...invokes the right of single combat against Paul due to the kanly (formal feud between Great Houses ) between the Atreides and Harkonnen families. Paul accepts, with his people unsure why he...
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