The Wizard of Oz Retellings

Almost everyone has heard the story of how Dorothy and her dog, Toto, fell into the fantastical land of Oz. Most people know of it through the film industry, but the story’s origins actually lie with Lyman Frank Baum, who wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in 1900. Known as one of America’s greatest fairy tales, the book has been retold throughout the last century in a number of ways.

What many don’t realize is the large impact that The Wonderful Wizard of Oz had on society and how the book’s plot deviated from the norm in the year 1900. While most fairy tales of that time sought to impart lessons and instill moral values in children, Baum’s book features an adventure. Unlike the well known stories in which princesses are saved by princes, the female protagonist of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Dorothy, is self-reliant and headstrong. Baum’s story taught girls in that time period that they could be more independent; they didn’t have to be relegated to the home. 

Many agree that Baum was heavily influenced by his mother-in-law, who was an advocate for women’s rights. Baum adopted her beliefs into his writing, publishing works that can be seen as feminist in nature. In one of his later books, the rightful ruler of Oz is even revealed to be a girl. The fact that Baum also included the idea that not all witches were evil (the Witch of the North) truly says something about what his values were.

Some well regarded works inspired by The Wonderful Wizard of Oz are as follows:

• Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige
• Wicked by Winnie Holzman (Broadway musical)
• Spelled by Betsy Schow
• Was by Geoff Ryman
• The Secret Order of the Gumm Street Girls by Elise Primavera

Do you have any thoughts on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and its various adaptations and retellings?

Fairy truly yours,

Grace W. Wong