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'''''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''''' is a the title of a very popular children's book (1900, and many sequels), a leading Broadway play for adults (1902), and a popular movie for fans of all ages (1939).  There have been many film and dramatic spinoffs, as well as books, trinkets and toys based on the Wizard and the other memorable characters.

 

'''''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''''' is a the title of a very popular children's book (1900, and many sequels), a leading Broadway play for adults (1902), and a popular move for fans of all ages (1939).  There have been many film and dramatic spinoffs, as well as books, trinkets and toys based on the Wizard and the other memorable characters.

Dorothy, the Wizard, the Scarecrow, Tin Man, Cowardly Lion, flying monkeys, Munchkins, the yellow brick road, the dream city of Oz, Toto--and especially the Wicked Witch--have become icons of American popular culture. They appear regularly in editorial cartoons and the funny papers and even in common conversation.

Dorothy, the Wizard, the Scarecrow, Tin Man, Cowardly Lion, flying monkeys, Munchkins, the yellow brick road, the dream city of Oz, Toto--and especially the Wicked Witch--have become icons of American popular culture. They appear regularly in editorial cartoons and the funny papers and even in common conversation.

'''''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''''' began in 1900 as a children's book written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow. This was part of his effort to create a body of American literature in the fairy tale genre. It was a great success and Baum followed it with thirteen more books set in the land of Oz. He was never able to recapture the success of his original work. Ruth Plumly Thompson continued the series with nineteen more stories, and other authors wrote additional books. The Land of Oz was one of the earliest of what fantasy fans now call "fictional universes." Like the Sherlock Holmes stories it has attracted a large number of devoted fans, who like to discuss and write about the land of Oz as if it actually existed.

'''''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''''' began in 1900 as a children's book written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow. This was part of his effort to create a body of American literature in the fairy tale genre. It was a great success and Baum followed it with thirteen more books set in the land of Oz. He was never able to recapture the success of his original work. Ruth Plumly Thompson continued the series with nineteen more stories, and other authors wrote additional books. The Land of Oz was one of the earliest of what fantasy fans now call "fictional universes." Like the Sherlock Holmes stories it has attracted a large number of devoted fans, who like to discuss and write about the land of Oz as if it actually existed.

The classic 17th cnetury Christian allegory ''[[Pilgrim's Progress]]'' inspired some of the characters and dangers described in the Wizard of Oz.<ref>http://www.amerisearch.net/index.php?date=2004-08-31&view=View</ref>

The classic 17th century Christian allegory ''[[Pilgrim's Progress]]'' inspired some of the characters and dangers described in the Wizard of Oz.<ref>http://www.amerisearch.net/index.php?date=2004-08-31&view=View</ref>

"Oz" is the abbreviation for "ounce," and it has been suggested that Baum was making a political allusion to [[bimetallism]], a hot political topic of the day. The 1901 theatre version used many current political allusions, mentioning by name President Roosevelt and oilman John D. Rockefeller.  In a press release for the 1903 reissue of Wizard, Baum wrote:<ref>http://home.earthlink.net/~jcorbally/eng218/rcross.html</ref>

"Oz" is the abbreviation for "ounce," and it has been suggested that Baum was making a political allusion to [[bimetallism]], a hot political topic of the day. The 1901 theatre version used many current political allusions, mentioning by name President Roosevelt and oilman John D. Rockefeller.  In a press release for the 1903 reissue of Wizard, Baum wrote:<ref>http://home.earthlink.net/~jcorbally/eng218/rcross.html</ref>

:The old time fairy tale, having served for generations, may now be classed as "historical" in the children's library; for the time has come for a series of newer "wonder tales" in which the stereotyped genie, dwarf and fairy are eliminated, together with all the horrible and blood-curdling incidents devised by their authors to point a fearsome moral to each tale. Modern education includes morality; therefore the modern child seeks only entertainment in its wonder tales and gladly dispenses with all disagreeable incident. Having this thought in mind, the story of 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' was written solely to please children of today. It aspires to being a modernized fairy tale, in which the wonderment and joy are retained and the heartaches and nightmares are left out.<ref>. Apart from the contemporary political allusions, there is nothing "modern" (post 1800) in the novel. Quote from [[http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext93/wizoz10h.htm]</ref>(

:The old time fairy tale, having served for generations, may now be classed as "historical" in the children's library; for the time has come for a series of newer "wonder tales" in which the stereotyped genie, dwarf and fairy are eliminated, together with all the horrible and blood-curdling incidents devised by their authors to point a fearsome moral to each tale. Modern education includes morality; therefore the modern child seeks only entertainment in its wonder tales and gladly dispenses with all disagreeable incident. Having this thought in mind, the story of 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' was written solely to please children of today. It aspires to being a modernized fairy tale, in which the wonderment and joy are retained and the heartaches and nightmares are left out.<ref>. Apart from the contemporary political allusions, there is nothing "modern" (post 1800) in the novel. Quote from [[http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext93/wizoz10h.htm]</ref>(

[[Image:OZ-1903.JPG|thumb|left|275px|poster for 1903 Broadway version shows an adult Dorothy for an adult audience; it was one of the frist great Broadway musicals]]

[[Image:OZ-1903.JPG|thumb|left|275px|poster for 1903 Broadway version shows an adult Dorothy for an adult audience; it was one of the first great Broadway musicals]]

The musical comedy version of 1902-3 was a rewritten version for an adult audience, with many sexual innuendos and a very sexy Dorothy.

The musical comedy version of 1902-3 was a rewritten version for an adult audience, with many sexual innuendos and a very sexy Dorothy.

==Sources==

==Sources==

The silverite revolution--a cyclone--sweeps away Dorothy and Toto to a colorful land of unlimited resources that nevertheless has serious political problems.  This utopia is ruled in part by wicked witches. Dorothy's cyclone/revolution destroys the Wicked Witch of the East, slave-driver over the little people (Munchkins), who now celebrate their liberation.  The Witch had controlled the powerful silver slippers (which were changed to ruby in the 1939 film).  

The silverite revolution--a cyclone--sweeps away Dorothy and Toto to a colorful land of unlimited resources that nevertheless has serious political problems.  This utopia is ruled in part by wicked witches. Dorothy's cyclone/revolution destroys the Wicked Witch of the East, slave-driver over the little people (Munchkins), who now celebrate their liberation.  The Witch had controlled the powerful silver slippers (which were changed to ruby in the 1939 film).  

The Good Witch of the North (the northern electorate) tries to help Dorothy, but she is not very smart, does not realize the power of the slippers, and sends Dorothy down the very dangerous gold road to the Wizard, who she mistakenly believes is so powerful that he can grant her wishes. (The northern vote elected McKinley in 1896 and he passed the gold standard into law.)  

The Good Witch of the North (the northern electorate) tries to help Dorothy, but she is not very smart, does not realize the power of the slippers, and sends Dorothy down the very dangerous gold road to the Wizard, who she mistakenly believes is so powerful that he can grant her wishes. (The northern vote elected McKinley in 1896 and he passed the gold standard into law.)  

The national capital, the Emerald City, is a dream-like place based on the "White City," the common name for the Chicago World's fair of 1893, which Baum and Denslow attended often. The emerald green is an illusion (everyone must wear green glasses), symbolizing the fraudulent world of greenback paper money that only pretends to have value.  

The national capital, the Emerald City, is a dream-like place based on the "White City," the common name for the Chicago World's fair of 1893, which Baum and Denslow attended often. The emerald green is an illusion (everyone must wear green glasses), symbolizing the fraudulent world of greenback paper money that only pretends to have value.  

The Wizard/president is annoyed by his guests -- by the demands of the people. He is a corrupt politician, a shrewd manipulator who seeks power for himself, ignores the needs of the people, and rules by fooling with people's minds. He selfishly sends them to destroy his enemy, the Wicked Witch of the West.  If she gets them, he is rid of a nuisance.  If they kill her, great--he will be pleased and then worry what to do next.   

The Wizard/president is annoyed by his guests -- by the demands of the people. He is a corrupt politician, a shrewd manipulator who seeks power for himself, ignores the needs of the people, and rules by fooling with people's minds. He selfishly sends them to destroy his enemy, the Wicked Witch of the West.  If she gets them, he is rid of a nuisance.  If they kill her, great--he will be pleased and then worry what to do next.   

==Other allegorical devices==

==Other allegorical devices==

*Dorothy, naive, young and simple, represents the American people. She is Everyman, lost in a crazy utopia who wants to get back to normalcy and the love of her family. She resembles the young hero of ''Coin's financial school'', a very popular silverite pamphlet of 1893.  In her innocence and purity she is all powerful and personally kills two witches--she is Columbia, the symbol of the nation's conscience.  Columbia was the usual representation of democracy in editorial cartoons (since replaced by the Statue of Libery.)  

*Dorothy, naive, young and simple, represents the American people. She is Everyman, lost in a crazy utopia who wants to get back to normalcy and the love of her family. She resembles the young hero of ''Coin's financial school'', a very popular silverite pamphlet of 1893.  In her innocence and purity she is all powerful and personally kills two witches--she is Columbia, the symbol of the nation's conscience.  Columbia was the usual representation of democracy in editorial cartoons (since replaced by the Statue of Liberty.)  

[[Image:OZ5-2-94.JPG|thumb|300px|Cyclone as metaphor for political revolution; the Aunt-Em-type farm woman is labeled 'Democratic Party';  ''Puck'' May 2, 1894]]

[[Image:OZ5-2-94.JPG|thumb|300px|Cyclone as metaphor for political revolution; the Aunt-Em-type farm woman is labeled 'Democratic Party';  ''Puck'' May 2, 1894]]

'''Cowardly Lion''': a cowardly politician, perhaps [[William Jennings Bryan]]<br>

'''Cowardly Lion''': a cowardly politician, perhaps [[William Jennings Bryan]]<br>

'''Wicked Witch of the East''':  Eastern factory owners and industrialists<br>

'''Wicked Witch of the East''':  Eastern factory owners and industrialists<br>

'''Wicked Witch of the West''': the trusts; one popular solution to the trust problem was to dissolve them, as Dorothy does.<ref> Littlefield (1964), followed by others. saw her as the western draught which thus could be ended by water; Clanton (1991) suggests she represents the evils of left-wing Populism, or perhaps South Carolina' Pitchfork Ben Tillman,</ref>

'''Wicked Witch of the West''': the trusts; one popular solution to the trust problem was to dissolve them, as Dorothy does.<ref> Littlefield (1964), followed by others. saw her as the western drought which thus could be ended by water; Clanton (1991) suggests she represents the evils of left-wing Populism, or perhaps South Carolina' Pitchfork Ben Tillman,</ref>

'''Flying Monkeys''' Pinkerton agents hired to break strikes<br>

'''Flying Monkeys''' Pinkerton agents hired to break strikes<br>

'''Wizard''': President [[William McKinley]] <br>

'''Wizard''': President [[William McKinley]] <br>

* The oil needed by the Tin Woodman had a political dimension at the time because Rockefeller's [[Standard Oil]] Company stood accused of being a monopoly (which was later ruled correct in a lawsuit brought by the federal government, and ultimately affirmed by the US Supreme Court.) In the 1902 stage adaptation the Tin Woodman wonders what he would do if he ran out of oil. "You wouldn't be as badly off as John D. Rockefeller," the Scarecrow responds, "He'd lose six thousand dollars a minute if that happened."<ref>Swartz, ''Oz'' p 34</ref>

* The oil needed by the Tin Woodman had a political dimension at the time because Rockefeller's [[Standard Oil]] Company stood accused of being a monopoly (which was later ruled correct in a lawsuit brought by the federal government, and ultimately affirmed by the US Supreme Court.) In the 1902 stage adaptation the Tin Woodman wonders what he would do if he ran out of oil. "You wouldn't be as badly off as John D. Rockefeller," the Scarecrow responds, "He'd lose six thousand dollars a minute if that happened."<ref>Swartz, ''Oz'' p 34</ref>

[[Image:Image:TIN3.JPG|right|thumb|200px|Sapolio soap ad shows Tin Man]]

[[Image:TIN3.JPG|right|thumb|200px|Sapolio soap ad shows Tin Man]]

[[Image:Wallace-farmer.jpg|thumb|200px|Uncle Henry's magazine]]

[[Image:Wallace-farmer.jpg|thumb|200px|Uncle Henry's magazine]]

* "Aunt Em" is a puzzle. Baum's mother-in-law was named [[Matilda Joslyn Gage]], and might be "Aunt M."  Mary Lease the Populist spellbider has been suggested. ("Raise less corn and more hell!" was her shocking message, but Aunt Em is not like her.) Gage was a leader of the woman suffrage movement, but nothing about the book's character suggests suffrage interests.

* "Aunt Em" is a puzzle. Baum's mother-in-law was named [[Matilda Joslyn Gage]], and might be "Aunt M."  Mary Lease the Populist spellbinder has been suggested. ("Raise less corn and more hell!" was her shocking message, but Aunt Em is not like her.) Gage was a leader of the woman suffrage movement, but nothing about the book's character suggests suffrage interests.

* The poppies which surround the Emerald City are likely a reference to the opium poppies and the Boxer Rebellion in China of 1899.<ref> See the fascinating analysis by Martin Blythe, "Oz is China" (2006) [http://www.sexualfables.com/OzisChina.php online edition]</ref>

* The poppies which surround the Emerald City are likely a reference to the opium poppies and the Boxer Rebellion in China of 1899.<ref> See the fascinating analysis by Martin Blythe, "Oz is China" (2006) [http://www.sexualfables.com/OzisChina.php online edition]</ref>

==Adaptations==

==Adaptations==

The Wizard inspired 40 official Oz books, 40 films, more than 100 unofficial novels, and innumerable websites, editorial cartoons, TV commercials, television shows, games, radio programs, video games, music videos, comic strips, musicals, toys, dolls,  Japanese animes, ceramic firgurines, and even pornography, most of them based on the 1939 movie.<ref> Sherman, (2005)</ref> The copyright for the oiginal books published before 1923 has expired, but the 1939 film will be under copyright for decades to come.

The Wizard inspired 40 official Oz books, 40 films, more than 100 unofficial novels, and innumerable websites, editorial cartoons, TV commercials, television shows, games, radio programs, video games, music videos, comic strips, musicals, toys, dolls,  Japanese animes, ceramic firgurines, and even pornography, most of them based on the 1939 movie.<ref> Sherman, (2005)</ref> The copyright for the original books published before 1923 has expired, but the 1939 film will be under copyright for decades to come.

The earliest musical version of the book was produced in Chicago in 1902, and moved to Broadway in 1903, where it was a smash hit and set a record with 293 performances.  It used the same characters, but was aimed at adult audiences. Baum inserted current political references to the script. For example, his actors specifically mention President Theodore Roosevelt, Senator Mark Hanna, and John D. Rockefeller by name.<ref>Swartz, ''Before the Rainbow'', pp 34, 47, 56</ref>

The earliest musical version of the book was produced in Chicago in 1902, and moved to Broadway in 1903, where it was a smash hit and set a record with 293 performances.  It used the same characters, but was aimed at adult audiences. Baum inserted current political references to the script. For example, his actors specifically mention President Theodore Roosevelt, Senator Mark Hanna, and John D. Rockefeller by name.<ref>Swartz, ''Before the Rainbow'', pp 34, 47, 56</ref>

*Riley, Michael O. ''Oz and Beyond: The Fantasy World of L. Frank Baum''. (1997) University of Kansas Press ISBN 0-7006-0832-X [http://www.amazon.com/Oz-Beyond-Fantasy-World-Frank/dp/070060832X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195302255&sr=8-2 excerpt and text search]

*Riley, Michael O. ''Oz and Beyond: The Fantasy World of L. Frank Baum''. (1997) University of Kansas Press ISBN 0-7006-0832-X [http://www.amazon.com/Oz-Beyond-Fantasy-World-Frank/dp/070060832X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195302255&sr=8-2 excerpt and text search]

[[Image:TINMAN1890.jpg|thumb|300px|1890 ''Puck'' cartoon ridicules President Harrison (who called for a tariff on tin), as a Tin Man, proving the use of the Tin Man as political metaphor in 1890s]]

[[Image:TINMAN1890.JPG|thumb|300px|1890 ''Puck'' cartoon ridicules President Harrison (who called for a tariff on tin), as a Tin Man, proving the use of the Tin Man as political metaphor in 1890s]]

* Ritter, Gretchen. ''Goldbugs and Greenbacks: The Anti-Monopoly Tradition and the Politics of Finance in America'' (1997) [http://www.amazon.com/Goldbugs-Greenbacks-Antimonopoly-Tradition-1865-1896/dp/0521653924/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195301565&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]

* Ritter, Gretchen. ''Goldbugs and Greenbacks: The Anti-Monopoly Tradition and the Politics of Finance in America'' (1997) [http://www.amazon.com/Goldbugs-Greenbacks-Antimonopoly-Tradition-1865-1896/dp/0521653924/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195301565&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]