Editing Bene Gesserit (section)

===The Voice===
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Bene Gesserit are trained in what they call "the Voice" {{ndash}} a means "to control others merely by selected tone shadings of the voice".<ref name="Term Voice">{{cite book |last=Herbert |first=Frank |title=Dune |url=https://archive.org/details/dune0000herb |url-access=registration |year=1965 |chapter=Terminology of the Imperium: Voice, The}}</ref> By modulating the subtleties of her voice, a Bene Gesserit can issue commands on a subconscious level, compelling obedience in others that they cannot resist, whether they are consciously aware of the attempt or not. This control can be as subtle as influencing thoughts and motivations, or as strong as forcing physical actions and even temporary paralysis in the subject. The Voice may also be subtly employed in any manner of conversation, public speaking, or debate to help soothe, convince, persuade, influence, or otherwise enhance the effect of the words being spoken. To affect this, the Bene Gesserit must "register" the intended target by analyzing his or her personality and vocal patterns through observation or seemingly innocuous direct questions.<ref>{{cite book |last=Herbert |first=Frank |title=Dune |url=https://archive.org/details/dune0000herb |url-access=registration |year=1965}}</ref>

Training in the Voice is independent of the Reverend Mother ritual, so people outside the order may be instructed in its use. Before the events of ''Dune'', Jessica has begun teaching it to Paul; after the Reverend Mother [[Gaius Helen Mohiam|Mohiam]] tests him in the novel, she urges Jessica to "ignore the regular order of training. His own safety requires the Voice. He already has a good start in it, but we both know how much more he needs...and that desperately."<ref name="Dune" /> Jessica herself later notes of Paul's novice attempt: "The tone, the timbre excellent – imperative, very sharp. A slightly lower pitch would have been better, but it could still fall within this man's spectrum."<ref name="Dune" />

The Voice is useless against targets who cannot hear the speaker; both Baron Harkonnen in ''Dune'' and [[House Corrino]] in ''Children of Dune'' employ deaf people to guard Jessica, knowing that she cannot control them via the Voice.<ref name="Dune"/> Being a manipulation of the target's subconscious mind, the Voice is of limited utility against an extremely disciplined mind, such as a Reverend Mother or a strong [[Mentat]]; if the target understands what the Voice is and how it works, and is aware that it is being used, he may resist it. One trained in the use of the Voice may easily detect its use by others, even subtly. In ''Dune Messiah'', Paul trains some guards to resist the Voice so that he may imprison Bene Gesserit. By the time of ''Children of Dune'', [[Gurney Halleck]] has also been trained by Jessica to resist the Voice completely.

In ''Heretics of Dune'', Reverend Mother Odrade explains to [[Sheeana]] that planetary populations exposed to long-term Voice control learn ways to adapt to it, and can no longer be manipulated. This is why the [[Honored Matres]] have been driven back into the Old Empire; over-controlling, they have built up both resistance and rebellion, and are now on the run from their former subjects.

The prequel ''Dune: The Battle of Corrin'' establishes that the first Bene Gesserit to use the Voice is Raquella Berto-Anirul, the founder of the order. The continuity of the TV series ''[[Dune: Prophecy]]'' depicts the Voice as the invention of Raquella's protégée, [[Valya Harkonnen]].