Ding-dong the Wicked Witch is Dead
** Wicked the book is slightly different than the musical**
Here is the breakdown of the characters
Elphaba (aka wicked witch)-born a munchkinlander to the reverend of a unionist church. She was born with green skin and razor sharp teeth because of a green elixir in which her mother ingested in large quantities during the pregnancy. Because of her imperfections, she is out-casted by her family and those around her. She loves to learn and education, her intelligence is recognized when she is accepted into Shiz University. Elphaba becomes a political activist and tries to help the oppressed talking animals (anti-animal legislation). She confronts the Wizard about how he is oppressing the animals, but fails to change his mind. She then drops out of school and joins the underground for several years then leaves in the guise of a witch.
Galinda (later Glinda)- is a “bubbly”, spoiled rich girl who attends Shiz University with Elphaba. At first she despises Elphaba and is seen as a martyr by her classmates because she lives with Elphy. Later on she becomes closer to Elphy and tries to change her. Throughout the book Galinda seeks to appease the Head Mistress of Shiz and the Wizard, even if it means going along with their lies and turning against Elphaba, which in turn makes her popular.
Nessa (wicked witch of the east)- is Elphy's sister. She is beautiful, but born without arms, and receives sympathy by all. She attends Shiz University with her sister and Galinda. Throughout the book, she is seen as sympathetic and admirable. She is also known to be very religious, like her father. Later on she becomes the ruler of munchkinland and because she opposes the Wizard's despotic regime and makes Munchkinland an independent country from the rest of OZ. She soon becomes harsh and uses sorcery to control her subjects by justifying the killing of humans and animals.
Head Mistress Madam Morrible- uses Shiz to recruit young soldiers and spies for the Wizard. She believes that animals should be seen an not heard (anti animal legislation). She sends her mechanical servent to kill Dr. Dillamond. Madame Morrible suggests to Nessarose, Elphaba and Glinda that the three become the "Adepts" of Quadling Country, Munchkinland and Gillikin respectively. This would grant them political dominion over these areas, but, as Morrible admits, is in fact a way of maintaining the Wizard's authority in far-flung regions of Oz.
Dr. Dillamond (talking goat scientist)- He is a life science teacher at Shiz. assisted by Elphaba and a Munchkin named Boq in researching and conducting some controversial experiments to discover the biological differences between humans, animals and sentient Animals, with the hope of proving that, since humans and Animals are the same, the Wizard's Banns have no scientific basis. He is then killed by Morrible's servent.
The Wizard- a con man and hustler who makes himself king in foreign world. He realizes he can make a coup and overthrow the Ozma Regent. He pretends to have power and knowledge but relies on those who truly have powers to cast spells for him such as Elphy and Glinda. The cruelty of animals causes the split between the Wizard and Elphaba.
"Wicked" is often called a revisionist story, but only by those who prefer the stories told by Glinda and the Wizard. To me, understanding The Wizard of Oz and Wicked is the same as understanding US history and the truth.
Wicked isn't the only book in the series but just one of four. The rest of the series consists of Son of a Witch (yr 2), A Lion among Men (yr 3), and Out of Oz (yr 4). These books continue with the internal struggle of Oz and the politics around it which turns into a civil war.
I highly recommend reading all these books, it will make you think differently next time you watch the Wizard of Oz. In regards to Thatcher's death, I am not sure if I could place her as Nessa or Madame Morrible.
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