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The Wicked Witch of the East is a character in the fictional Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum in his classic books.[1] Although not verifiably seen (except for her feet), the 1939 film helped to further the popularity of the character. The Witch is the ruler of Munchkin Country. For her political role, see Political interpretations of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
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The classic books
In The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (the first of many Oz books), Dorothy Gale is blown into Oz by a tornado. The young girl's house lands on top of The Witch. The Witch, who had been ruling over the Munchkins, is killed instantly with only her feet sticking out from under the house. The Witch was wearing magical shoes (made of silver in the book) at the time of her death. Dorothy, on the advice of The Good Witch of the North, takes the shoes. These shoes have the power to transport anyone anywhere, simply by knocking the heels together three times and giving them the command where to go. Not knowing this, Dorothy travels to see the famous ruler of the Emerald City, The Wizard, to ask for his help in trying to return to her Kansas farm. In the novel, The Wicked Witch of the East is also responsible for the creation of the Tin Woodman and, in flashbacks in The Tin Woodman of Oz, the Tin Soldier, who each had their blades enchanted to prevent them from marrying the Witch's maid.
The 1939 movie
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In the 1939 movie, only her stockinged feet can be seen sticking out beneath the house once it lands. The film portrays The Witch as being the sister of The Wicked Witch of the West, a relationship neither stated nor implied in Baum's books. The famous sequence of the house dropping from the cyclone is actually a subjective point of view shot, showing the witch's view as the house crushes her.
Modern works
In Alexander Melentyevich Volkov's The Wizard of the Emerald City, The Witch's name is Gingema. Like in the 1939 movie, the two Wicked Witches are sisters. The book begins with her summoning a magical hurricane to destroy all humanity (since people, in her opinion, exterminate her food). However, Villina learns of her schemes, and changes the spell to only affect one house (her magic book told her it was always empty during storms) and drop it on Gingema's head. Unlike in Baum's books, while being the formal ruler of the Munchkins, she interfered little in their lives, and only demanded that people collect food for her. Since her food was snakes, leeches, spiders, and other similarly disgusting creatures which the Munchkins were afraid of, that was nevertheless a heavy burden for them.
In the Broadway musical, The Wiz, The Wicked Witch of the East is named Evermean and terrorizes the Munchkins.
In the more recent novel, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by author Gregory Maguire, The Wicked Witch of the East is known as Nessarose and is born unable to walk and without arms — she is later able to walk however, by the use of the well-known shoes. Her sister, the Wicked Witch of the West whose name is Elphaba, had been waiting for the shoes for seven years. In Wicked, the Broadway musical based on Maguire's novel, Nessarose is unable to walk and uses a wheelchair. In both the book and musical, the character is portrayed in a less negative light than in the Baum books or earlier movie, though it portrays her as becoming fanatical, so much so that she limits the rights of the munchkins and degenerates into 'witch'. In the musical (where she was originally portrayed by Michelle Federer), this tyranny stems from her love of a Munchkin named Boq, who she had fallen in love with after Glinda persuaded him to take Nessa to the Ozdust Ballroom (in order to get him away from herself). In order to keep Boq from leaving her for Glinda, Nessa enforces several strict laws on the Munchkins in order to keep her love around her. Even after Elphaba enchants her ruby slippers so she can walk, Boq is still fixated on Glinda, and Nessa accidentally causes his heart to shrink when attempting to make him 'lose your heart to me'. Elphaba is forced to turn Boq into the Tin Woodsman to keep him alive, and Nessa laments her status as 'The Wicked Witch of the East'.
In Roger S. Baum's Lion of Oz and the Badge of Courage, the Wicked Witch of the East is the main antagonist. The book was adapted into the 2000 animated film Lion of Oz. In the movie Lion of Oz she was voiced by Lynn Redgrave.
In 2007, Turner Entertainment collaborated with Madame Alexander to create a series of McDonald's Happy Meal toys centered on the main characters from the 1939 movie, one of which was the Wicked Witch of the East. She is depicted as having blonde hair, a red shirt with a green belt and a burgundy dress over her distinguishable striped stockings and ruby slippers. She also is wearing a hat similar to the Witch of the West's, although it is colored red.
In The Muppet's Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the East is played by Miss Piggy (as are all of the other witches/fairies). She manages to lift the house long enough to threaten the Munchkins before it falls back on top of her, killing her this time.
References
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