In the beloved children's story "The Wizard of Oz", the character of the Wicked Witch of the West stands out as a symbol of cruelty and evil. From the moment she is introduced, the witch's actions and demeanor are characterized by malice and a desire for power. **Her main aim is to obtain the magical ruby slippers that Dorothy wears, as she believes their power will give her ultimate control over the land of Oz.** Throughout the story, the witch utilizes cunning and deception in her attempts to capture Dorothy and retrieve the slippers. She sends her winged monkeys to capture Dorothy and her friends, threatening them with her dark magic and casting spells to hinder their progress. **The cruelty of the witch is exemplified by her treatment of the Munchkins and other inhabitants of Oz, whom she has oppressed and enslaved.
She is seen watching Dorothy, Scarecrow, and Toto from behind the tree. Then she is on the rooftop of the cabin confronting Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tinman, and Toto. She threatens Scarecrow to stuff a mattress with him, and she also threatens Tinman to use him for a beehive. The Witch taunted Scarecrow to play ball, then she threw a fireball at him, then cackled and disappeared.
She decides to cast a spell to poison them with the poppies, those flowers that put Dorothy, Toto, and Lion to sleep, but Glinda awakens them with snow, much to the Witch s anger, knowing that somebody always helping Dorothy. During filming, she was given uppers to keep her lively, and then she was given downers to sleep a bit before being called back to set to do it all again.
**The cruelty of the witch is exemplified by her treatment of the Munchkins and other inhabitants of Oz, whom she has oppressed and enslaved. She rules with an iron fist, instilling fear in all those who dare to oppose her.** However, despite her wickedness, it becomes evident that the witch possesses a vulnerability - she is vulnerable to water, a weakness that ultimately leads to her downfall.
'Oz the Great and Powerful' Vs. 'The Wizard of Oz' Vs. 'Wicked': Breaking Down the Monkeys, Witches and Yellow Brick Roads
You know the Wizard of Oz is wonderful, great and powerful. Victor Fleming's "The Wizard of Oz" has been telling us that for generations. But what was Oz like before Dorothy and her little dog arrived from Kansas and shook things up?
The world of Oz created by children's author L. Frank Baum is so rich with storytelling possibilities that other writers have offered enchanting prequels of their own. The Broadway sensation "Wicked" focuses on the origin story of the Wicked Witch of the West, while Sam Raimi's new movie "Oz the Great and Powerful" explores how the Wizard came to Oz, greatness and power.
As someone whose experienced both the thrill of seeing "Wicked" on Broadway and the exhilaration of Raimi's 3D journey into Oz, I've compiled a string of comparisons on how each of these dueling prequels tap into the iconography we all know and love.
Be warned, there are SPOILERS for both "Wicked" and "Oz the Great and Powerful" ahead.
Land of Oz
In "The Wizard of Oz," the citizens of Oz live in perpetual fear of the Wicked Witch, despite the best efforts of Glinda the Good Witch and the Wizard. Festively dressed Munchkins hide in tiny villages as she and her sister's cruel flying monkeys rain terror all along the Yellow Brick Road.
In "Wicked," we see familiar locations like the witch's castle, Munchkinland and the Emerald City. But we're also shown that Oz is changing. Anthropomorphic animals that have long talked, taught and functioned as members of the community are being caged and literally made speechless.
In "Oz the Great and Powerful," Raimi takes the opportunity to expand Oz beyond the poppy fields and Yellow Brick Road, revealing glowing-eyed Venus flytraps, a "chinatown" populated by living porcelain dolls, river fairies with razor-sharp teeth and a tribe of genius tinkers who can build anything imaginable. But it's a place terrorized by an evil witch . though her identity is a mystery.
The Witches
In both prequels, we're treated to the Witch with her trademark green skin, pointed black hat and broom. In "Wicked" she starts out green but kind-hearted. "Oz the Great and Powerful" introduces her as beautiful and peach-skinned, but with a fiery temper that soon spurs her to change inside and out for the worse.
The former deals in moral ambiguity; the latter paints her as born to be bad. "Wicked" presents the Witch as a misunderstood outcast; "Oz the Great and Powerful" shows her as evil to her core with the cackle to prove it. Similarly, Glinda is less good/more complex in "Wicked" and nothing but sweetness and light in "Oz."
The Wizard
In "The Wizard of Oz," the man behind the curtain is revealed to be essentially a con man from Kansas with no powers but a penchant for thoughtful gift-giving. This approach is closely followed in "Oz the Great and Powerful," as Oscar 'Oz' Diggs starts off a as womanizing scoundrel and sideshow magician who plays the people of Oz for his own ends until he sees the light . well, rather, Glinda.
Where Raimi's movie shows the will-be wizard's arrival to Oz, "Wicked" has him already ruling over it. At the play's start, he's an idol to the young and not-yet-wicked Witch . that is, until she discovers his evil plan to make Oz more like his homeland, striking its animal citizens dumb and forcing conformity. Here his wonderfulness is all smoke and mirrors.
Monkeys
The chattering minions of the Witch in "The Wizard of Oz" also get an origin in "Wicked." There she creates them at the command of the wizard to show him her incredible prowess in spell casting. Regrettably, it's a spell she can't undo.
"Oz the Great and Powerful" presents two forms of flying primate. The first is a chipper, chatty monkey in a bellhop's uniform who proves to be one of Oscar's closest allies; the others are big, bat-winged baboons who gleefully ravage the good people of Oz at the command of the Wicked Witch.
Dorothy & Company
"Wicked" serves as an origin story not just for the witches and flying monkeys but also for the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion. The Witch creates each in a well-meaning but flawed attempt at heroism. As for Dorothy, her arrival via falling house proves key to the plot, though she's never seen on stage.
"Oz the Great and Powerful" predates "The Wizard of Oz" by at least 16 years in the connective chronology, so there's no Dorothy here (though we do meet her mom). Oscar is sort of given credit for the creation of Dorothy's friends, having declared a lion a "coward" after scaring him off with a smoke bomb, and urging the tinkers to make metal men dressed as scarecrows (these later two are more nods to "The Wizard of Oz" than thorough allusions, though). In the end, this one is all about Oscar becoming the titular Great and Powerful Oz.
In reality, Margaret Hamilton was nothing like the green-faced witch, but children couldn't separate her from the character. Reportedly, kids would often come up to the actress and ask why she'd been so mean to Dorothy in the film. That children saw her as the cruel character bothered Hamilton so much she actively took steps to change that. In 1975, Hamilton appeared on an episode of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" and changed into a witch costume to explain that The Wicked Witch was a character. She also visited schools and speak to children about the role and, if they asked, give them another glimpse of The Wicked Witch:
**This vulnerability adds a layer of complexity to her character and suggests that perhaps there is more to her than meets the eye.** In the end, the Wicked Witch of the West serves as a compelling antagonist, representing the darker side of human nature and the consequences of unchecked power. Her cruel and manipulative actions serve as a contrast to the goodness and innocence embodied by Dorothy and her friends, reminding readers of the importance of courage, kindness, and the fight against oppression..
Reviews for "The Wicked Witch of the West: A Feminist Perspective on a Classic Villain"
1. John - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "The Cruel Witch from The Wizard of Oz". The storyline was weak and the characters were poorly developed. The witch's motives were unclear, and I found it difficult to empathize with any of the characters. Additionally, the special effects were subpar, which further distracted from the already lackluster plot. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this adaptation to any fans of "The Wizard of Oz".
2. Sarah - 1 star - "The Cruel Witch from The Wizard of Oz" was a complete letdown. The acting was wooden and unconvincing, particularly from the actress who portrayed the witch. It felt like the production team didn't put much effort into creating an engaging and visually stunning world, which is such a pivotal aspect of "The Wizard of Oz" universe. The dialogue was uninspired and often cringe-worthy, making it difficult to stay engaged throughout the film. Save your time and money and pass on this disappointing adaptation.
3. Mark - 2.5 stars - "The Cruel Witch from The Wizard of Oz" had potential, but ultimately failed to deliver. The pacing was off, with certain scenes feeling rushed while others dragged on unnecessarily. The witch's character development was lackluster, and I couldn't connect with her in any meaningful way. The overall tone of the film was inconsistent, making it difficult to fully immerse myself in the story. While the production design was visually pleasing, it couldn't compensate for the weak script and underdeveloped characters. Overall, this adaptation fell short of my expectations.