For fans of the Wicked musical, the story of Elphaba and Glinda offers a thrilling reimagining of The Wizard of Oz, where good and evil blur in unexpected ways. However, those familiar with Gregory Maguire’s novel know that the original Wicked delves into far darker territory, exposing the brutal realities of prejudice, power, and cruelty in Oz.
In stark contrast to the musical’s playful charm, Maguire’s Oz is a dark and twisted story full of complex and unsettling themes.
Warning: This article contains descriptions of sexual activity, profanity, assault and violence.
A World Far from “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”
Okay, first of all, the world of Maguire’s Wicked is almost unrecognizable compared to L. Frank Baum’s lighthearted land of Oz.
In Maguire’s version, Oz is a gritty world where societal problems such as racism, misogyny, and oppression are pervasive. Various groups within Oz, like the Quadling and Vinkus people, as well as sentient animals, are segregated and face systematic discrimination.
These themes are central in the book, adding layers of moral ambiguity that challenge our understanding of good and evil. Some readers even noted the book feels political. Although this is not something many find disturbing, it does make the story more raw.
Elphaba’s Dark Origin Story
Elphaba’s dark origins are one of the most disturbing parts of Maguire’s novel. Far from the magical birth of a fairytale character, Elphaba is conceived under traumatic circumstances: her mother, Melena, is drugged with a green elixir and assaulted by a stranger, who turns out to be the Wizard himself.
“Melena, at home, yawned and waited, and teased her pretty hair. Along came a man whom the Witch could not identify at first. He had a small black bag and Page Content from it he extracted a green glass bottle. He gave it to Melena to drink, and when she had, she fell into his arms, either stupefied and drunk as the Witch was tonight, or liberated. It wasn’t clear.”
This horrifying revelation ties Elphaba’s green skin to a traumatic legacy, adding a new layer of complexity to her character. Actually, Elphaba is rejected by everyone from the moment she is born just because of her green skin. Although the book depicts the scene of the assault as an “act of love”, Melena was clearly drugged after getting the potion, with it being a non-consensual activity.
“Then, when the act of love was done, the traveler p*lled himself off Melena. He snapped his fingers, and a balloon with a basket beneath descended from the fly space above. The traveler got in. It was the Wizard.”
Elphaba’s Mother Wanted to Kill Her
Elphaba’s relationship with her mother, Melena, is strained to the point of cruelty. Melena, resentful of her baby daughter’s unconventional appearance, even fantasizes about drowning her as an infant.
This dysfunctional dynamic adds to Elphaba’s inner turmoil and contributes to her disillusionment with Oz’s norms and values, portraying her not simply as “wicked,” but as a woman deeply shaped by trauma, specially because of her origin story.
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Animal Cruelty, Depravity, Explicit Scenes and BDSM
Throughout the book, Maguire fills Oz with unsettling elements, from exploitative clubs like the Philosophy Club to the gruesome acts depicted by the Clock of the Time Dragon.
“Readers should be aware, going into Gregory Maguire’s book, that the text includes graphic descriptions of sex, org*es, and b**tiality that could be uncomfortable to read. The Clock of the Time Dragon is known for its risqué shows, including a mother and daughter having intercourse with the dragon. Boq and his friends also attend a combination strip and sex club called Philosophy Club, where creatures of all kinds engage in BDSM sex. This leads to a deeply uncomfortable situation involving humans and a Tiger.”
Maguire’s Oz is anything but innocent, as it describes sexually explicit scenes not very far from 50 Shades Of Grey, but it also mirrors societal taboos and moral decay, with characters such as Turtle Heart sometimes coming across as stereotypical caricatures that echo real-world biases.
The Musical: A Friendly and Toned Down Adaptation
While Maguire’s Wicked novel is dark and provocative, the Wicked musical adapts these themes to be more family-friendly, focusing on Elphaba and Glinda’s friendship and their contrasting moral paths.
The musical leaves out explicit content, including the more disturbing aspects of Elphaba’s origins and the oppressive dynamics within Ozian society. Instead, it centers on self-acceptance and resistance to unjust power, providing audiences with an uplifting message.
Now, featuring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, the first installment of “Wicked,” Chu’s film adaptation of the famous Broadway musical will debut in theaters on Nov. 22, and It is safe to say it is not as explicit and dark as the book. But now that we know the real story, we are sure it will be stuck in our minds for a long time…
