Theatrical Adaptation

True Colors

When I first watched "The Wizard of Oz" as a child, I automatically assumed that because the good witch of the North, Glinda, was pretty then she must be good. Especially since the wicked witch of the west was green and had a wart on her nose; obviously, physical deformities are the equivalent of being “evil”. It occurred to me as I was reading Wicked how much Galinda’s appearance is deceiving. From the first time we meet Galinda in "Wicked" she is condescending and obviously feels superior because of her beauty and social status. I found it particularly interesting when it stated in the book, “She reasoned because she was beautiful, she was significant,” (Gregory Maguire, 65). If that isn’t arrogance, what is? As for the character of Glinda in the 1939 film, she even says, “good witches are pretty, only bad witches are ugly.” As if to imply that each person’s outsides much match their insides.

In "Wicked," on the other hand, Elphaba, who’s only crime was being born a different color, received nothing but torment and rejection from her parents. How else was she supposed to turn out, her natural reactions were only defense mechanisms to the criticism that plagued her throughout her life. And from “good people” like Galinda, who must be good because of how they appear on the outside. So really, who is the green one on the inside? If Glinda was such a “good witch” why couldn’t she tell Dorothy from the beginning to click her heels three times so she could return home.

The 1939 film seems to only further society’s beliefs that beautiful equals good and kind. Even in movies today, the stereotypical witch is one who has warts and cackles. However, I don’t believe Baum intended his children’s story to be interpreted in that way. In the beginning, for example, the good witch of the North was “covered with wrinkles, her hair was nearly white and she walked rather stiffly,” (L. Frank Baum, 36). Also, nowhere in Baum’s book does the good Witch of the North say anything about looks equaling someone’s morality. In the book in fact, Dorothy says, “I thought all witches were wicked,” (Baum, 40). In the movie she said “I thought all witches were ugly”. Thereby telling children that ugly people are bad while good people are rewarded with beauty. I really appreciated Maguire’s more realistic interpretation of how such an attractive person might behave. Not to say that all attractive people are conceited, but it is ridiculous to assume that everyone’s insides match the color which appears on their outsides.

posted by Taylor @ 11:00 PM