A Review of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz

A Review of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz

  1. Frank Baum’s book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, was first published on May 17, 1900. There was no way of knowing at the time that Baum had hit gold with his legendary characters, Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion. There was no way of knowing that Baum had a winner on his hands and that his famous characters had hit gold.

It was originally published under the title The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, but it has since been reprinted numerous times and served as the inspiration for a number of Broadway musicals and films, all of which are collectively referred to as simply The Wizard of Oz.

Critical Reaction

The plot follows Dorothy, a young girl, as she travels to the magical kingdom of Oz and the adventures she encounters along the way. It should come as no surprise that this classic book is being read by children today and has been translated into a variety of languages.

The publication of the book, as well as the following success of a musical extravaganza based on the same story, both contributed to the story’s stratospheric climb to notoriety in American popular culture.

Following the huge popularity of the first book, Baum added 13 additional books to the collection of Oz books. Within a year, the first edition of the book sold around 250,000 copies to various buyers.

It was then decided that a musical play should be staged in order to draw even more attention to the book. The author and several others gave the presentation for the first time in 1902. The musical was performed for the first time at Chicago’s Grand Opera House. It then moved to the Broadway Majestic Theatre, where it played for a total of 293 performances.

A Brief Summary of the Action

Dorothy Gale, the main character of the Oz series, is originally from Kansas, but she eventually ascends to the throne of Oz and adopts the title of queen with the help of her close friend Princess Ozma. It is stated that she was inspired by the character of Alice from Lewis Carroll’s novels.

Despite her rough childhood as an orphan on a farm, she is a courageous little girl. Her adversary in this struggle is the Wicked Witch of the West. Toto is the name she gives to her small smooth-coated, long-haired black dog buddy. He has tiny eyes that sparkle brightly over his ridiculously small nose.

The Scarecrow is initially depicted as brainless in the Oz novels and movies, but it is later revealed that he has developed a brain with the help of the Wizard. When compared to the other travelers, the thoughtless scarecrow is proved to be the most clever, and he is given a brain as a gift.

He continues to play his games while still being mindful of his own limitations. The Scarecrow’s quest for a brain contrasts sharply with the Tin Woodman’s need for a heart. This portion of the story stresses the need of emotional harmony.

Tin Woodman was a figure in the Oz novels and movies who was made of tin bits and pieces. When he was born, he was given the name Nick Chopper, but the Wicked Witch of the East used her magical axe to convert him into the Tin Woodman.

In the same spirit as Dorothy, he resolves to join her to visit the Wizard in the hopes of obtaining a heart. Despite being the most sensitive and tender of all the people, he eventually obtains his heart from the Wizard. His sensitivity for other people is evidenced by his great sadness everytime he mistakenly kills another living thing, a tendency that persists throughout the series.

Tin Woodman is a proud individual because of his sturdy tin body. His only concern is that if the metal gets wet in any way, it will rust.

The Cowardly Lion is an African lion that has been observed socializing with humans. He is unable to acquire self-assurance as a result of his anxiousness, and as a result, he fails to recognize his own strengths, believing that he is unfit to wield the title of King of the Jungle. Despite having shown bravery on countless times, he persistently refuses to recognize that he is brave enough.

Glinda, often known as the Good Witch of the South, is the Oz character with the most power and knowledge. Her hair is long and red, and her eyes are a brilliant blue. She is regarded as a noble and attractive witch. She was the one who was most helpful in locating Princess Ozma. The witch is a lovely lady who is always willing to help the Princess with whatever she needs, whether it’s advice or help with an issue.

In L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West is the most prominent opponent. The Witch has a sallow skin tone and is terrified of water. Her primary emphasis is on obtaining the silver shoes, which will raise her to the rank of most powerful witch once she obtains them. She is in leadership of various groups of creatures, all of which she directs to carry out her orders.

Reprinted in a Variety of Formats

The fantasy kingdom of Oz is a popular theme for slot machine games at casinos. The Ruby Slippers slot machine is an example of a game that sends players down a yellow brick road in search of the Wizard. The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman will also accompany you on this quest. When you play the base game, Glinda will emerge every now and then. The supplemental features also include Winged Monkey and Emerald City.

There have also been numerous films made that show the magnificent world of Oz. The very first film, an American silent film, was released in 1910. Motion pictures were made after that in 1925, 1933, 1939, 1982, and even as late as 2014.

The Wizard of Oz became a household brand not just because of the films and literature based on the narrative, but also because of the various television versions that aired between 1961 and 1990. The novel was subsequently adapted into an eight-issue comic book series published by Marvel Comics.

If you spent your childhood reading about and seeing the fantastic adventures of Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion, you now have a plethora of possibilities in the shape of movies, slot machines, comic books, and souvenirs!

 

Danielle Rose