Elphaba In Gregory Maguire's Wicked

Gregory Maguire’s Wicked is a new perspective on the classic story of Dorothy Gale, the Wizard of Oz and the Wicked Witch of the West. The book introduces Elphaba, the Wicked Witch from the original tale and shows her life before the classic story, which paints her in a different and far more sympathetic light. Elphaba has an unfortunate childhood, born with unusual physical features, her unique appearance is used by her father to help encourage conversion to his religion. Additionally her mother was very distant, if not neglectful, and both parents doted on her sister instead. In the story Elphaba pushes people away, transforms from a well meaning activist to vengeful extremist and attacks and kidnaps Dorothy in a series of events that lead

In addition to her actions being a result of circumstance she still desired to be good. This is proven when she travels across the country to seek forgiveness in her indirect role of her lover from his wife. “You must hear it, so that I might be forgiven,” she begged as she tried to tell the wife what had happened (Maguire 319). She still desired to be good and when that woman was killed, the one woman she believed could forgive her, she snapped. She became an obsessed creature that lived in the castle of the woman and her kidnapped family, lashing out in fear. For example she had her dogs, birds, bees and monkey’s attack a group on their way to the castle and kidnap Dorothy. However even then she is not pure evil as when she learns that Dorothy only came to apologize for killing her sister Elphaba stops assaulting her. Steve Taylor takes the idea of evil a step beyond ‘pure evil’ and says: “The real difference between this idea of ‘good and evil’ and the traditional concept is that empathy or a lack of empathy aren’t fixed.” (Taylor 7). Therefore Elphaba could be more or less evil at different times in the story. This time she acted selflessly and according to Steve Taylor’s definition of evil as “ [their] own needs and desires are of paramount importance.” As she was able to act both ways throughout the story Elphaba could not be ‘pure evil’. This act

The archetype of pure evil is “people who fulfill egotistical and sadistic tendencies by intentionally inflicting harm on others” (Webster, Saucier 1). Elphaba doesn’t fit into that mold. Her actions were a result of desperation to seek forgiveness for her sins and to help the oppressed Animals and confusion as she wondered if her choices were her own or if she had a soul, . While the acts that she perpetrated were without a doubt evil, she herself was not. Despite Elphaba’s reasons being understandable she rarely explained her actions to anyone, even the readers of her story. This coupled with her unique appearance made it far easier for the citizens of Oz to consider her evil. As Webster and Saucier point out in their study: “When others are seen as less than human, it is easier to justify or rationalize aggression against them” (2). Given all of these variables it was quite easy for the citizens of Oz to see Elphaba as wicked. As the sources and examples from the story prove Elphaba was not evil. She was misguided and had acted evilly but only as a result of fear, confusion, desperation or good intentions. At times her actions were reprehensible but there was always a reason for her to behave that way. In addition she had acted selflessly in many ways throughout the story from visiting her father who used her to further his own agenda, to being kind to Boq, risking her life by saving baby Chistery and finally not