Heroic mythology

Greatness is a transitory experience. It is never consistent. It depends in part upon the myth-making imagination of humankind. The person who experiences greatness must have a feeling for the myth he is in. He must reflect what is projected upon him. And he must have a strong sense of the sardonic. This is what uncouples him from belief in his own pretensions. The sardonic is all that permits him to move within himself. Without this quality, even occasional greatness will destroy a man.

- Frank Herbert, "Dune".

As I delve deeper into the herbertian universe of Dune, I am increasingly impressed by the depth of the story that Herbert has woven; the interlocking layers of political intrigue, the heroic construction, and, ultimately, the formulation and expression of a myth. From my own experiences in fantasy worlds (reading, gaming, imagining) I have subscribed to the belief that the core of any mythological system is its heroes. Heroes, in their superhumanity, paradoxically center the myth on humanity, thus providing an automatic medium through which a bizarre universe can plug itself meaningfully into the human experience.