The Good Witch of the North is a character from L. Frank Baum's famous novel, "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz." She is a kind-hearted and benevolent witch who resides in the northern part of the magical land of Oz. Unlike her counterparts in other parts of Oz, the Good Witch of the North is often portrayed as a gentle and helpful character. She first appears in the book when Dorothy's house crash-lands in Munchkinland after being caught in a cyclone. The Good Witch is the first person Dorothy encounters in Oz, and she helps Dorothy by directing her on the yellow brick road and advising her on how to reach the Emerald City to seek help from the Wizard.
After an emotional farewell to her three new friends, Dorothy closes her eyes, clicks her heels three times, and repeats, “There’s no place like home.” When she opens her eyes, she is surrounded by her beloved Auntie Em, Uncle Henry, and the three farm hands, who look suspiciously like the Scarecrow, the Lion and the Tin Man.
When the Wicked Witch of the West demands that Dorothy give her dead sister s slippers to her, Glinda says, Their magic must be very powerful, or she wouldn t want them so badly. This mark saves Dorothy from being abused by the Winged Monkeys, and perhaps would have kept the kalidahs, wolves, crows, bees, the Winkies, the Fighting Trees, the Hammerheads and the Great Spider away if they had actually been able to try to harm her.
The Good Witch is the first person Dorothy encounters in Oz, and she helps Dorothy by directing her on the yellow brick road and advising her on how to reach the Emerald City to seek help from the Wizard. Throughout the story, the Good Witch of the North continues to assist Dorothy and her friends on their journey. She is known for her wise counsel and ability to solve problems.
A Kiss is Still a Kiss!
[Above at left: Moments after her arrival in Oz, Dorothy meets Munchkin representatives and the Good Witch of the North. This is one of W. W. Denslow’s color plates from the first edition of THE WONDERFUL WlZARD OF OZ (1900). At right: For Reilly & Lee’s edition of the book, fifty-six years later, Dale Ulrey drew the Good Witch’s farewell to the girl from Kansas, which took place just before Dorothy went off to seek the Great and Powerful Oz.]
This month, William Dogan submitted a statement that draws a fine parallel between L. Frank Baum’s original text in THE WONDERFUL WlZARD OF OZ book (1900) and the script and staging of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer THE WlZARD OF OZ film (1939):
What did the Good Witch in both the novel and the 1939 movie give Dorothy before she started her Yellow Brick Road journey? It is explained in the book, but it is not in the film.
Now, l’m not sure if this falls into the category of a posed-trivia question, or if it’s more about making a worthy attempt to tease and challenge ol’ Fricke! Regardless, it’s a good topic -- and here’s the prompted discussion!
On page 25 of the first edition of that very first Oz book, Dorothy pleads with the Good Witch of the North to “go with” her on the journey to The Emerald City. The little girl had, according to author Baum, “begun to look upon the little old woman as her only friend.”
The Witch replies, “No, l cannot do that…but l will give you my kiss, and no one will dare injure a person who has been kissed by the Witch of the North.” Then, “she came close to Dorothy and kissed her gently on the forehead. Where her lips touched the girl, they left a round, shining mark, as Dorothy found out soon after.”
lndeed, that kiss becomes an important reference point later in Baum’s story. During Chapter Twelve, the Wicked Witch of the West sends her Winged Monkeys to “destroy” Dorothy. ln due course, we are told “the leader of the Winged Monkeys flew up to her, his long hairy arms stretched out, and his ugly face grinning terribly; but he saw the mark of the Good Witch’s kiss upon her forehead and stopped short, motioning to the others not to touch her.
“We dare not harm this little girl,” he said to them, “for she is protected by the Power of Good, and that is greater than the Power of Evil. All we can do is to carry her to the castle of the Wicked Witch and leave her there.”
This they do, and it’s next disclosed that “The Wicked Witch was both surprised and worried when she saw the mark on Dorothy’s forehead, for she knew well that neither the Winged Monkeys nor she, herself, dare hurt the little girl in any way.”
[Above: Denslow shows the Wicked Witch of the West in conference with the leader of the Winged Monkeys.]
Dorothy thus is saved from death by the Good Witch’s kiss. Beyond that, it’s also interesting to note that the Wicked Witch isn’t aware that the girl possesses the “silver shoes” of the Witch of the East until Dorothy actually stands before her. ln Baum’s story, the two evil crones are not sisters (as they would be described in the movie), and the Witch of the West doesn’t even appear at all until Dorothy and her friends are sent by the Wizard of Oz to dispatch her.
Thirty-eight years later, a miscellaneous pool of screenwriters at MGM worked to conflate characters and plot points as they prepared Baum’s prose for film production. The major change that ties in with today’s blog is that they elected to give all power to the “ruby slippers”; the motion picture Good Witch of the North warns Dorothy to “never let those ruby slippers off your feet for a moment, or you will be at the mercy of the Wicked Witch of the West.” (The same process of revisions led Metro scribes to provide that Good Witch with the proper name, “Glinda.” ln Baum’s book, Glinda is actually the Good Witch of the South and doesn’t enter into the OZ adventures until Chapter Twenty-Three.)
[Above left: A John R. Neill illustration from THE WlSHlNG HORSE OF OZ (1935) clearly shows the mark of the Good Witch’s kiss on Dorothy’s forehead, even many years later. Right: At MGM in 1938, Billie Burke – photographed here with the quintessential Dorothy Gale -- assayed the conflated characters of the Good Witch of the North and Glinda, the Good Witch of the South.]
So, William Dogan…! l assume you’re referencing the fact that both on the printed page and on the movie screen, Dorothy gets a farewell kiss from the Good Witch of the North. But its merit goes unexplained in the film, because it’s only in Baum’s book that the buss proves to be a definite talisman: a literal and figurative “saving grace” for the child. At MGM, and as noted, pretty much all of the glory is ascribed to the shoes. And even they can’t save her from the death threats of -- and planned execution by -- Margaret Hamilton.
Somewhere in here, there could be a very obscure joke about head-to-toe magical protection …but l’ll forego the search it would require – AND any further imposition on your time! lnstead, we’ll just be glad that Billie Burke provided both kiss and footwear benediction for Judy Garland, who since has taken countless billions “off to see the Wizard,” across more than seven decades past and (hopefully!) for countless decades to come.
At the beginning of The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy’s Kansas farmhouse is uprooted by a tornado and is carried along by the twister over the rainbow, to the Land of Oz. Dorothy learns that her house has landed right on top of the Wicked Witch of the East. Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, arrives in a beautiful pink bubble and thanks Dorothy for killing the evil witch, thereby saving the Munchkins from the evil witch’s tyranny. Then, magically, she transfers the dead witch’s ruby slippers onto Dorothy’s feet.
She uses her magical powers responsibly and only for the greater good. Her kindness and compassion make her a beloved character in the Oz series. In various adaptations of "The Wizard of Oz," the Good Witch of the North is often depicted as a young woman of exquisite beauty. She wears a silver crown and a white gown, symbolizing her purity and goodness. She is portrayed as a protector and guide to Dorothy, offering her support and guidance on her quest to return home. The character of the Good Witch of the North has become an iconic figure in popular culture. She represents the embodiment of goodness and is a shining example of the positive qualities that one should strive to possess. Her role as a mentor and guardian to Dorothy underscores the importance of helping others and offering assistance when needed. In conclusion, the Good Witch of the North is a beloved character from L. Frank Baum's "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz." She is a kind-hearted and helpful figure who guides and supports Dorothy on her journey through Oz. Her wise counsel and magical abilities make her an important ally in the story, and her positive qualities serve as an inspiration to readers and viewers alike..
Reviews for "The Good Witch of the North: Lessons in Morality and Kindness"
1. Samantha - 2 stars - I was really excited to watch "Good Witch of the North" because I love fantasy movies and magical creatures. However, I found the movie to be extremely predictable and lacking any originality. The storyline was so cliché and the characters were one-dimensional. Overall, I was quite disappointed with this film and wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for a unique and captivating fantasy experience.
2. John - 1 star - "Good Witch of the North" was a complete waste of my time. The acting was subpar, the dialogue was cringe-worthy, and the special effects looked like they came straight out of a low-budget TV show from the 90s. The plot was unconvincing and lacked depth, making it difficult to stay engaged throughout the entire film. I regretted watching this movie and would advise others to steer clear of it.
3. Emily - 2 stars - As a fan of fantasy movies, I was really disappointed with "Good Witch of the North". The plot felt rushed and poorly developed, and the characters lacked any sort of chemistry or depth. The film relied heavily on generic fantasy tropes and failed to bring anything new or exciting to the genre. The pacing was uneven, with slow moments dragging on and important scenes feeling rushed. Overall, this movie did not live up to my expectations, and I would not watch it again.