Everyone knows the shoes. The ruby slippers—or silver, if you’re a book purist—are the most iconic footwear in cinematic history. But the woman who actually owned them? She’s basically a prop. She’s the feet under the farmhouse. She’s the "Ding-Dong! The Witch is Dead" catalyst. Honestly, the wizard of oz wicked witch of the east is the most important character you never actually meet, and that’s kinda wild when you think about the ripple effects she sent through Oz.
She died in the first ten minutes.
Most people just assume she was a carbon copy of her sister, the Wicked Witch of the West. You know the vibe: green skin, flying broom, obsession with fire. But if you actually dig into L. Frank Baum’s original 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and the subsequent lore developed by researchers and later authors, she was a completely different brand of evil. She wasn’t just a cranky lady in a castle; she was a political tyrant who had the Munchkins in a literal stranglehold for decades.
Who Was the Wizard of Oz Wicked Witch of the East, Really?
In the 1939 MGM film, we see nothing but her striped stockings shrinking away under the weight of Dorothy’s house. It’s a visual gag, really. But in the books, her name is eventually given as Nessarose in the Wicked universe, or simply the Witch of the East in Baum’s canon. She ruled Munchkin Country with an iron fist. Or, more accurately, a silver toe.
She wasn't just "mean." She was a magical debt collector.
The Munchkins were her slaves. That’s the word Baum used. They weren't just singing and dancing in the woods; they were laboring under her enchantments. One of the most brutal things she ever did—and this is a bit dark for a "kids' book"—involved the Tin Woodman. See, Nick Chopper (the man who became the Tin Woodman) was in love with a Munchkin girl named Nimmie Amee. Nimmie was a servant to the Wicked Witch of the East. The Witch didn't want to lose her servant, so she struck a deal with a local blacksmith to enchant Nick’s axe.
Every time he swung it, he chopped off a limb.
One by one. Arms, legs, head. He kept replacing them with tin until he had no heart left. That’s the legacy of the wizard of oz wicked witch of the east. She didn't just want power; she wanted to prevent love because it made her servants less productive. It's a level of calculated cruelty that makes the Wicked Witch of the West look almost impulsive by comparison.
The Mystery of the Silver Shoes
We have to talk about the shoes. In the movie, they’re ruby because Technicolor was the new big thing and the producers wanted those sparklers to pop against the yellow brick road. In the book, they are silver. And they weren't just pretty; they were the most powerful magical artifact in the Land of Oz.
Think about this: The Witch of the East was a powerful sorceress. She had conquered an entire quadrant of Oz. Yet, she was killed by a house falling on her. Some fans have speculated for years that the shoes were the only thing keeping her alive or maintaining her youth. When the house hit, the "protection" of the shoes didn't extend to being crushed by Kansas architecture.
It’s a bit of a plot hole, isn't it? If she was so powerful, why didn't she see it coming? Oz experts like Michael Patrick Hearn, who wrote The Annotated Wizard of Oz, point out that the witches in Baum’s world aren't omniscient. They are localized powers. The East was her domain, but she was still a physical being subject to gravity. And a very heavy farmhouse.
The Political Power Vacuum
When Dorothy’s house landed, it wasn't just a freak accident; it was a political assassination. The Munchkins weren't just happy because a "bad person" was gone. They were celebrating the end of a regime.
If you look at the geography of Oz, the East was the first point of contact for anyone coming from the Great Sandy Waste (the desert surrounding Oz). By controlling the East, she controlled the "border." She was the gatekeeper. When she died, the balance of power shifted instantly. Glinda (the Good Witch of the North in the books, though the movie combines characters) moves in immediately.
Was it a setup? Probably not. But Glinda certainly didn't waste any time handing those shoes to a confused kid from Kansas. By giving Dorothy the shoes, Glinda ensured the wizard of oz wicked witch of the east's power couldn't be reclaimed by her sister in the West. It was a tactical move. Dorothy was a mule for the most powerful weapon in the kingdom.
Why She Didn't Have Green Skin
Here is a fact that messes with people: In the original illustrations by W.W. Denslow, the Wicked Witch of the East isn't green. She looks like a somewhat normal, albeit elderly, woman. The "green witch" trope is almost entirely a product of Margaret Hamilton’s iconic performance as the sister from the West.
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In the books, the color of the East is blue. The Munchkins wear blue. The grass is blue-tinted. The Witch of the East would have been associated with that palette. It’s a much more subtle, insidious kind of evil. Not a monster hiding in a dark castle, but a ruler living among the people, wearing their colors, while keeping them in chains.
She was a "civilized" tyrant.
The Wicked Connection
We can't ignore Gregory Maguire’s Wicked. While it’s technically "fan fiction" that became a global phenomenon, it shaped how the modern world sees Nessarose (the Witch of the East). In this version, she’s Elphaba’s sister and she’s physically disabled, born without arms or with a condition that makes walking difficult, depending on which version of the play or book you're looking at.
Her "evil" stems from a mix of religious fundamentalism and unrequited love. It’s a tragic backstory. It makes her human. But even in this version, she’s the "Governor" of Munchkinland. She uses her magic to strip people of their rights.
Whether you prefer the silent, crushed feet of 1939 or the tragic politician of the Broadway stage, the core remains: she is the catalyst. Without her death, there is no journey. No Scarecrow. No Lion. No "no place like home."
Why We Still Care About a Character With Zero Lines
It’s the mystery. We love a backstory. The wizard of oz wicked witch of the east represents the "Unseen Evil." She is the shadow over the beginning of the story.
She also represents the suddenness of fate. One minute you’re the absolute ruler of a magical realm, the next, a house falls on you because of a cyclone in a state you’ve never heard of. There’s something deeply ironic and darkly funny about that. It’s the ultimate "life comes at you fast" moment.
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Also, the shoes. Let's be real. We care because we want the shoes.
Actionable Insights for Oz Fans and Researchers
If you want to dive deeper into the lore of the East, stop relying on the movie. The movie is a masterpiece, but it’s a condensed version of a much larger mythology.
- Read the first three chapters of the original book. Pay attention to how the Munchkins describe their life under her rule. It’s much more grim than the "Lollipop Guild" would lead you to believe.
- Look at the Denslow illustrations. See how the Witch was originally envisioned. It changes your perspective on the "Wicked" aesthetic.
- Trace the Silver Shoes. In the books, they are lost in the desert during Dorothy’s flight home. They are gone forever. The fact that the most powerful magic in Oz was just... dropped in the sand... tells you a lot about Baum's view on power.
- Compare the sisters. The Witch of the West had one eye and used a silver whistle to control wolves and crows. The Witch of the East used enchantments on tools and objects. They had different "specialties" in magic.
The wizard of oz wicked witch of the east might be dead by the time the story starts, but her influence is the engine that drives the entire plot. She is the reason Dorothy has the shoes, the reason the Tin Woodman is made of metal, and the reason the North and West are at odds. She’s the most important ghost in literature.
Next time you see those striped stockings curling up, remember she wasn't just a victim of a house. She was a queen who lost a bet with gravity, leaving behind a power vacuum that changed the Land of Oz forever.