Oz

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The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a children's novel written by L. Frank Baum, and illustrated by W.W. Denslow. It was originally published by the George M. Hill Company in Chicago on May 17, 1900, and has since been reprinted countless times, most often under the name The Wizard of Oz, which is the name of both the 1902 stage play and the extremely popular, highly acclaimed 1939 film version.

Oz Fact: The Wizard of Oz has been translated into well over fifty different languages, at times being modified in local variations.

The Wicked Witch of the East

The Wicked Witch of the East
The Wicked Witch of the East is a character in the fictional Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum in his series of Oz books.

The cruel old witch conquered and tyrannized the Munchkin Country in the East, making the Munchkins slave for her night and day. The magical silver shoes (changed to the Ruby Slippers in the 1939 MGM film version) were one of her most prized possessions. She met her demise when Dorothy Gale's house landed on her. Her dry, withered body quickly turned to dust, leaving behind only the magic shoes which would become so coveted by the Wicked Witch of the West.

The Wicked Witch of the East (portrayed by Rachel Weisz)

Rachel Weisz portrays the Wicked Witch of the East who is named Evanora in the 2013 Disney film, Oz the Great and Powerful. In this version, she is the older sister of Theodora, Wicked Witch of the West (portrayed by Mila Kunis), and is at war with Glinda ((portrayed by Michelle Williams) for control of Oz. She originally portrayed herself as a Good Witch, and had been an adviser to the former king of Oz, whom she murdered, so that she could be in charge of the Emerald City herself. Evanora deceived Oscar Diggs by framing the King's daughter, Glinda, for the murder and telling him that Glinda is the Wicked Witch instead of herself, which resulted in Glinda being outlawed from the Emerald City and retreating to the South. 

Let the witchery begin! Celebrate Halloween all October long
with a new witch post every day! Who's your favorite?

The Wicked Witch of the West

The Wicked Witch of the West
The Wicked Witch of the West is the most significant antagonist in L. Frank Baum's children's book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The Wicked Witch of the West is the malevolent ruler of the Winkie Country. Her castle is described as beautiful instead of being the sinister fortress shown in the movie. In all versions, she is seriously aquaphobic, and with good reason. The Wicked Witch of the West was not actually related to the Wicked Witch of the East in the books, but leagued together with her, the Wicked Witch of the South and Mombi to conquer the Land of Oz and divide it among themselves, as recounted in L. Frank Baum's Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz. She shows no interest in the death of the Eastern Witch; all she cares about is obtaining the Silver Shoes which will increase her power. The Wicked Witch of the West was one of the most powerful witches in all of Oz. In ensuing Oz books, her power is described as having been so great that even Glinda the Good Witch of the South feared her.

W. W. Denslow's illustrations for The Wonderful Wizard of Oz depict her as a paunched old hag with three pigtails and an eye-patch. L. Frank Baum himself specified that she only had one eye, but that it "was as powerful as a telescope", enabling the witch to see what was happening anywhere in her kingdom from her castle windows. Other illustrators, such as Paul Granger, placed her eye in the center of her forehead, as a cyclops. Usually, she is shown wearing an eye patch, however some illustrations incorrectly show her with two eyes.

The Wicked Witch of the West (portrayed by Margaret Hamilton)

The witch's most popular depiction was in the classic 1939 movie, The Wizard of Oz, based on Baum's book, where she was played by Margaret Hamilton. In that film adaptation, as in Gregory Maguire's revisionist Oz novel, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West and its musical adaptation Wicked, as well as the 2013 movie, Oz the Great and Powerful, the Witch of the West is depicted as having green skin. That was never mentioned in Baum's novels.

The Wicked Witch of the West (portrayed by Mila Kunis)

Let the witchery begin! Celebrate Halloween all October long
with a new witch post every day! Who's your favorite?