Wicked Witch of the West
| Wicked Witch of the West | |
|---|---|
| Oz character | |
 | |
| First appearance | The Wonderful Wizard of Oz |
| Portrayed by | Margaret Hamilton |
| Information | |
| Species | Witch |
| Gender | Female |
| Title | Ruler of the West |
The Wicked Witch of the West is a fictional character from the Oz series. She is mainly known for being the main antagonist (villain) of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and its adaptations, most notably The Wizard of Oz 1939 film.
Story
[change | change source]In the books, the Wicked Witch of the West is one of the four main witches in the first Oz book. She is the ruler of the Winkie Country and lives in a palace. The Wicked Witch also has one eye, which works like a telescope.
The Wicked Witch of the West is mentioned throughout the book but only makes her first appearance close to the end. The main characters, Dorothy, Tin Man, Scarecrow and the Lion are sent by the Wizard of Oz to kill the Witch.
The Wicked Witch sends wolves, crows and bees to kill the heroes but each fails. Her servants are too scared so she summons the Winged Monkeys to capture them. The Wicked Witch finds out that she cannot kill Dorothy so she enslaves her. The Wicked Witch also develops an obsession with the magical silver slippers that Dorothy is wearing.
The Witch manages to get hold of one slipper, making Dorothy angry. Dorothy throws a bucket of water at the Wicked Witch, causing her to melt.
Other major appearances
[change | change source]1939 film
[change | change source]
In the 1939 film, the Wicked Witch is portrayed by Margaret Hamilton. The Witch is given a black dress, a black pointed hat, green skin and a broomstick.[1] This portrayal of witches has become very popular ever since the film has been released.
In this film, the Wicked Witch's sister is the Wicked Witch of the East (their relationship was never explored in the book). She also appears many times in the movie. The character ranks #4 in the American Film Institute's list of "50 Best Villains".[2]
Wicked musical
[change | change source]The Wicked Witch's backstory is the main focus of the musical Wicked. In this story, she is named Elphaba. A film version of the musical is going to be made with Cynthia Erivo as the Wicked Witch.
Sources
[change | change source]- ↑ Zimmermann, Denise; Gleason, Katherine A. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Wicca and Witchcraft, 2nd Edition, Alpha, 2003. p.7. ISBN 1-59257-111-5
- ↑ "AFI's 100 Years ...100 Heroes & Villains".