Wicked Witch of the East

The Wicked Witch of the East was one of the four witches in the Land of Oz, and she ruled over the eastern country of the Munchkins. Unlike the good witches of the North and South, she was wicked and cruel, keeping the Munchkins in slavery for many years, forcing them to work for her night and day. Her power was such that even the Witch of the North, a good witch, admitted she was not as powerful as the Wicked Witch of the East, or she would have freed the people herself. The Witch of the East was also proud of her silver shoes, which bore a powerful charm, though its nature was unknown even to the Munchkins.

Death and Immediate Aftermath

The Wicked Witch of the East met her end when Dorothy's house, carried by a cyclone, landed directly on her. Only her two feet, shod in the silver shoes with pointed toes, remained visible under a block of wood. The Witch of the North explained that the witch was so old that she dried up quickly in the sun, leaving nothing but the silver shoes. The Munchkins, who had been her slaves, were overjoyed at their liberation and celebrated their freedom. The Witch of the North gave the silver shoes to Dorothy, noting that the Witch of the East had been proud of them.

Role in the Story's Structure

The Wicked Witch of the East's death sets the entire plot of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in motion. It is the event that brings Dorothy to Oz and establishes her as a figure of power in the eyes of the Munchkins, who mistake her for a sorceress. The silver shoes, which Dorothy inherits, later prove to be the key to her return home. The Witch of the East's tyranny also serves as a contrast to the good witches, and her death is the first of two wicked witches to be defeated, paving the way for the eventual liberation of all Oz. The Wizard of Oz later reveals that he lived in deadly fear of the Wicked Witch of the East and was pleased when her house fell on her, as it removed one of the threats to his rule.