Wicked Witch of the West

The Wicked Witch of the West (or simply The Wicked Witch) is a character in the fictional Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum in his children's books. The character also figures prominently in the classic 1939 movie based on Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. In the books and movie she has a sister who is the Wicked Witch of the East.

The Classic Books

In The Oz Books, the Wicked Witch is the one witch in Oz that the Wizard of Oz is afraid of. She rules the Winkie Country in the western part of Oz. When young Dorothy Gale is dropped in Oz by a cyclone, The Wizard promises to help her return to her home in Kansas if she and her ragtag group of friends kill the Wicked Witch. Dorthy, the brainless Scarecrow, the heartless Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion journey toward her castle and are attacked by wolves, crows, bees, and her Winkie slaves. Dorothy and her companions defeat each threat, but are eventually subdued by the Winged Monkeys that the Wicked Witch commands through the power of the "Golden Cap." Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion are carried to the Wicked Witch's castle. However, The Wicked Witch can't kill Dorothy because the girl is protected by Glinda (The Good Witch of the North). The Witch tricks Dorothy into tripping over an iron bar and, in anger, Dorothy throws a bucket of water onto the Wicked Witch and causes her to melt.

W.W. Denslow's illustrations for The Wonderful Wizard of Oz depict the Wicked Witch as a paunched old woman wearing an eyepatch; her good eye gave her the visual powers of a telescope.

The 1939 Movie

In the classic movie The Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch, played by actress Margaret Hamilton, was tall, green-skinned, and dressed entirely in black. In many people's minds, this representation of The Wicked Witch has become an archetype for human wickedness. It is from this movie where popular culture gets the oft-quoted phrase: "I'll get you, my pretty, and your little dog too!"

Modern Works

Author Gregory Maguire's revisionist novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West takes the familiar Oz story and turns it on its head. The hero in this tale is not Dorothy, but The Wicked Witch herself! The Witch is named Elphaba and is a misunderstood child who grows into a brooding young woman. Maguire's story was developed into a Broadway musical, Wicked, in 2003. Idina Menzel won the 2004 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Elphaba.