Glinda the Good Witch

Glinda the Good Witch is the most powerful of all the witches in the Land of Oz, ruling over the Quadling Country in the South. She is described as a beautiful woman who knows how to keep young in spite of the many years she has lived, and she is kind to everyone. Her castle stands on the edge of the great desert that surrounds Oz, and she is the one who finally provides Dorothy with the means to return home to Kansas.

Identity and Introduction

Glinda is first mentioned by the Soldier with the Green Whiskers as a potential source of help for Dorothy when the Wizard Oz has departed. He describes her as the Witch of the South, the most powerful of all the witches, who rules over the Quadlings. The soldier notes that the Quadlings think she is good, and that she is kind to everyone. He also reports that Glinda is a beautiful woman who knows how to keep young in spite of the many years she has lived. When the travelers finally reach her castle, they find her sitting upon a throne of rubies. She is both beautiful and young to their eyes, with rich red hair falling in flowing ringlets over her shoulders, a dress of pure white, and kind blue eyes.

Role in Dorothy's Journey

Glinda is the final authority Dorothy seeks after the failure of the Wizard Oz to keep his promise. When Dorothy and her companions arrive at her castle, they are taken to a room to make themselves presentable before being admitted to her presence. Dorothy tells Glinda her entire story: how the cyclone brought her to Oz, how she found her companions, and all the wonderful adventures they met with. Glinda listens and then leans forward to kiss the sweet, upturned face of the loving little girl, saying she is sure she can tell her a way to get back to Kansas. She reveals the crucial secret that the Silver Shoes Dorothy has worn since the death of the Wicked Witch of the East have the power to carry her to any place in the world in three steps, each step made in the wink of an eye. All Dorothy must do is knock the heels together three times and command the shoes to take her wherever she wishes to go.

Granting the Companions' Futures

Before Dorothy departs, Glinda ensures the futures of her three companions. She asks the Scarecrow what he will do, and he replies that he will return to the Emerald City, for Oz made him its ruler and the people like him. Glinda promises to command the Winged Monkeys to carry him to the gates of the Emerald City, saying it would be a shame to deprive the people of so wonderful a ruler. To the Tin Woodman, who wishes to return to the Winkies and rule over them, she promises her second command to the Winged Monkeys will carry him safely to the land of the Winkies. She tells him that although his brain may not be so large to look at as the Scarecrow's, he is really brighter when well polished, and she is sure he will rule wisely and well. To the Lion, who wishes to return to the grand old forest where the beasts have made him their King, she promises her third command will carry him there. Having used up the powers of the Golden Cap, she declares she will give it to the King of the Monkeys, so that he and his band may thereafter be free forever.

Thematic Significance

Glinda embodies the principle of benevolent, wise authority that contrasts with the fraudulent power of Oz and the malevolence of the Wicked Witches. She does not perform magic for its own sake but uses her knowledge and power to guide others toward their own fulfillment. Her revelation that the Silver Shoes could have taken Dorothy home on her first day in Oz underscores the theme that the power to achieve one's deepest desire often lies within, waiting to be recognized. She also ensures that the companions' journeys and growth are honored, allowing each to take up the role he has earned. After Dorothy's departure, Glinda gives the Golden Cap to the King of the Winged Monkeys, freeing them from servitude, an act that completes the liberation of Oz from its old enchantments and hierarchies.