The dwarf
The dwarf is a cryptic and immortal figure who appears at pivotal moments in Elphaba's life, always in connection with the Clock of the Time Dragon and the Grimmerie. He is not a conventional character with a personal history or emotional arc; rather, he functions as a supernatural agent, a guardian bound to a single task: protecting the Grimmerie, a book of magic from another world. His presence is marked by an eerie detachment and a knowledge that spans decades, making him one of the most enigmatic beings in Oz.
Identity and Role
The dwarf first appears in the narrative as the handler of the Clock of the Time Dragon, a traveling mechanical theatre that combines prophecy, entertainment, and cruelty. He is described as a "dwarf and some narrow-waisted minions" who operate the clock, and he is later identified as the guardian of the Grimmerie. He tells Elphaba directly: "I am the guardian of the book, and I was brought to this dreaded, forsaken land to watch over the book's history, to keep it from getting back to where it comes from. I am not good, I am not bad; but I am locked here, condemned to a deathless life to guard the book." This self-description establishes him as a neutral, eternal custodian, neither benevolent nor malevolent, but utterly dedicated to his charge. He claims immortality, stating that Elphaba cannot kill him "for I'm immortal." His existence is defined by this single purpose, and he has no name in this world, reinforcing his role as a function rather than a person.
The Clock of the Time Dragon and Prophecy
The dwarf is intimately connected with the Clock of the Time Dragon, which he operates as a tool of prophecy and manipulation. The clock first appears in Rush Margins, where it incites violence against Frex and the community, and later reappears in the Emerald City, where it performs a private, three-act play for Elphaba. The dwarf introduces the performance, saying, "A private audience with the Time Dragon itself." The play reveals the birth of Saint Aelphaba, the birth of evil (depicting the Wizard as Elphaba's biological father), and the marriage of the sacred and the wicked. When Elphaba demands the end of the play, the dwarf replies, "Who said the end was written yet?" This suggests that the dwarf, through the clock, has access to a prophetic vision of time that is not yet complete, and that he can selectively reveal or conceal information. He also gives Elphaba a cracked looking glass, which she had owned as a child, further linking him to her personal history.
Relationship with Yackle and the Grimmerie
The dwarf acknowledges a complex relationship with Yackle, the old woman who appears at the Philosophy Club and later at the mauntery. He says, "We sometimes have the same intentions, and we sometimes do not. Her interest seems to be different from mine." While the dwarf's sole concern is the Grimmerie, Yackle's interest is specifically Elphaba. He explains that in his world, there are guardian angels, but Yackle is "an opposite number, and her concern is you." This establishes a cosmic hierarchy or division of labor, with the dwarf as the book's guardian and Yackle as a kind of supernatural overseer of Elphaba's fate. The dwarf also reveals that he "work[s] through events, I live on the sidelines, I dabble in causes and effects, I watch how the misbegotten creatures of this world live their lives. I interfere only to keep the book safe." This clarifies his method: he does not act directly but manipulates circumstances to protect the Grimmerie.
Revelation of Elphaba's True Nature
In his most direct interaction with Elphaba, the dwarf reveals a truth about her origins that she has never fully understood. He tells her: "You are neither this nor that—or shall I say both this and that? Both of Oz and of the other world. Your old Frex always was wrong; you were never a punishment for his crimes. You are a half-breed, you are a new breed, you are a grafted limb, you are a dangerous anomaly." This revelation, delivered in the context of the Clock of the Time Dragon's play, suggests that Elphaba is the product of a union between the Wizard (a man from another world) and Melena, making her a hybrid being. The dwarf's words reframe her entire life: her green skin, her alienation, her affinity for composite creatures (like the winged monkeys) are not curses but signs of her unique nature. He also implies that her destiny is not written, that she has choice, but that her very existence is a threat to the established order.
Narrative Significance and Thematic Weight
The dwarf serves as a narrative device that bridges the mundane and the supernatural, the political and the metaphysical. He is a figure of cosmic indifference, embodying the novel's exploration of evil, destiny, and the nature of power. His claim that he is "the least significant little one" is ironic, as he holds the key to understanding the Grimmerie, the Wizard's origins, and Elphaba's true identity. He is a threshold guardian in the hero's journey, but one who offers not a test but a revelation. His final appearance, after Elphaba's failed assassination of Madame Morrible, leaves her with more questions than answers, and he disappears into the clock, leaving her with the cracked mirror and the unsettling truth of her parentage. The dwarf's immortality and detachment underscore the novel's theme that some forces—whether good, evil, or neutral—operate beyond human comprehension and moral judgment.
