Wicked Witch of the East
Wicked ruler of the Munchkins, killed by a falling farmhouse.
The Wicked Witch of the East is a fictional character from the Oz novels by American author L. Frank Baum. Though she appears only briefly, she plays a crucial role, especially in *The Wonderful Wizard of Oz* (1900). A middle-aged and malevolent ruler, she conquered the eastern region of Oz known as Munchkin Country and forced the Munchkins to work for her constantly. Her most prized possession was a pair of enchanted Silver Shoes (later depicted as ruby slippers in the 1939 film), which held many mysterious powers. Early in the first book, Dorothy Gale’s farmhouse lands on the Witch, killing her instantly. Her body crumbles to dust, and the magical shoes are left behind for Dorothy to inherit.
In the original Oz books, the Wicked Witch of the East was not explicitly ranked in power compared to the Good Witch of the North or Glinda, the Good Witch of the South. She had no family relation to the Wicked Witch of the West (despite what many adaptations suggest), but she did ally with that witch, along with the Wicked Witches of the North and South, to divide Oz into four sections, as recounted in Baum’s fourth Oz book, *Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz* (1908). After the fall of Pastoria, the last mortal King of Oz, she conquered the eastern quadrant and held the Munchkins in bondage for decades.
She lived in a castle or palace in Munchkin Country. An old woman who owned a beautiful Munchkin maid named Nimmie Amee bribed the Witch with a sheep and a cow to prevent Nimmie Amee from marrying a local woodsman, Nick Chopper. The Witch then enchanted Nick Chopper’s ax, causing him to gradually chop off his own limbs and replace them with tin until he became the Tin Woodman. Believing he had lost the emotions needed to love Nimmie Amee, Nick Chopper abandoned her, much to the Witch’s satisfaction. About a year later, Dorothy’s farmhouse, carried by a cyclone from Kansas, fell from the sky and crushed her to death. The Good Witch of the North explained to Dorothy that the Witch had enslaved the Munchkins for years, and her death set them free.
Quick Facts
- Series
- Oz
- First
- The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900)
- Creator
- L. Frank Baum
- Portrayer
- Michelle Federer / (Wicked) / Rachel Weisz / (Oz the Great and Powerful) / Florence Kasumba / (Emerald City) / Marissa Bode / (Wicked and Wicked: For Good)
- Species
- Human (witch)
- Occupation
- Ruler of the Munchkin Country / (at time of death)
- Title
- The Wicked Witch of the East
- Family
- The Wicked Witch of the West (sister)
- Nationality
- Ozian of Munchkin descent
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Wicked Witch of the East lived in a castle or palace in Oz's eastern quadrant, called Munchkin Country. In Baum's original text, her power is not explicitly compared to that of the Good Witch of the North or Glinda, the Good Witch of the South. She was not related to the Wicked Witch of the West, but was in league with her and other wicked witches to conquer and divide Oz. After the fall of the last mortal King of Oz, she conquered the eastern section and held the Munchkins in bondage for decades.
She was bribed by an old woman who owned a beautiful Munchkin maid named Nimmie Amee. The woman gave her a sheep and a cow if the witch promised to prevent Nimmie Amee from marrying a local woodsman, Nick Chopper. The witch resolved to enchant Nick Chopper's ax, causing him to gradually chop off his own limbs and replace them with tin until he became the Tin Woodman. The Witch was killed when Dorothy's farmhouse landed on her; there is no mention in the original book of her being out in the meadows looking for herbs and spices at that moment.
Reader's Guide
The Wicked Witch of the East is a foundational antagonist in the Oz series, despite her brief appearance. Her death sets the entire plot of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in motion, as Dorothy inadvertently inherits the magical Silver Shoes. The character's legacy is shaped by her role as a tyrant over the Munchkins and her magical enchantments, particularly the curse that created the Tin Woodman. In adaptations, she is often conflated with the Wicked Witch of the West as a sister, a change introduced in the 1939 film musical. The 1939 film also changed her Silver Shoes to ruby slippers. Later works, such as Gregory Maguire's novel Wicked, reimagine her as a disabled young woman named Nessarose. The character's iconic image—feet sticking out from under a house—has become a staple of popular culture, referenced in numerous adaptations and parodies. Her significance lies in being the catalyst for Dorothy's journey and the source of the magical footwear that drives much of the plot.
Did You Know?
- The Wicked Witch of the East was not related to the Wicked Witch of the West in Baum's original books, though many adaptations make them sisters.
- Her Silver Shoes were changed to ruby slippers in the 1939 film musical The Wizard of Oz.
- She enchanted Nick Chopper's ax, causing him to become the Tin Woodman.
- In Alexander Melentyevich Volkov's The Wizard of the Emerald City, her name is Gingema.
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