#author: gregory maguire

[bookstofilms]

Wicked dir. Jon M. Chu | 2024

“People who claim that they're evil are usually no worse than the rest of us… It's people who claim that they're good, or any way better than the rest of us, that you have to be wary of.” ― Gregory Maguire, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

[haveyoureadthispoll]

Gregory Maguire creates a fantasy world so rich and vivid that we will never look at Oz the same way again. Wicked is about a land where animals talk and strive to be treated like first-class citizens, Munchkinlanders seek the comfort of middle-class stability, and the Tin Man becomes a victim of domestic violence. And then there is the little green-skinned girl named Elphaba, who will grow up to become the infamous Wicked Witch of the West, a smart, prickly, and misunderstood creature who challenges all our preconceived notions about the nature of good and evil.

[cto10121]

Me: [pacing in the therapist office] But what really kills me are the people who believe that Musical Gelphie has more development than Fiyeraba and that Fiyeraba came out of ~nowhere. Putting Book Wicked aside for a hot second, the whole reason why Musical Elphaba and Glinda became friends in the first place in the musical is because Glinda played a mean trick on Elphaba, and Elphaba completely misunderstands it. She thinks Glinda gifting her the black hat was genuine! This leads her to ask Madame Morrible to include Glinda in her seminar and Glinda feeling guilty about her cruel attempt at humiliation and trying to assuage it by dancing with Elphie. That’s when they truly become friends. In so doing, the musical bases their entire friendship on a misunderstanding (!!). That’s what I mean when I say that Musical Wicked is fundamentally the Glinda Show. The two of them don’t become friends when they recognize their similarities or as a natural reconciliation of their differences. They are friends because Glinda felt white liberal guilt for a hot second. And then in the very next scene, Glinda tries to make Elphaba “popular” by making her to act and look like her. She still doesn’t accept Elphaba! So yeah, Musical Gelphie is a cursed ship to me, very cursed. I may bitch about Musical Fiyero being a Glinda clone (basically Book Avaric + Book Fiyero’s background), but at the very least he did accept Elphaba, green skin, Animal rights, and high C#5s and all. And the musical has at least a handful of Fiyeraba interactions pre-As Long As You’re Mine which shows their attraction to each other. I don’t know, does that make sense?

Therapist: Musical Wicked just sounds cursed all around.

Me: I know!

[gennsoup]

Out of our need we patronize our artists, we flirt with our poets, we petition our architects: Give us your lusty colorful world. Signal to us a state of being more richly steeped in purpose and satisfaction than our own.

Gregory Maguire, Mirror Mirror

[slaughter-books]

Day 1: JOMPBPC: Reading Goals

All the beautiful books on my TBR shelf, that I plan to read throughout 2025! 💙💜🩷

[harocat]

lol the experiences people will experience if they go "I'm gonna read the book!" after they come out of part one of Wicked and have to wait a year for part two.

[eyecandyandbraincandy-blog]

I think about number 3 a lot in regards to Wicked. I am genuinely baffled by this book and by the series as a whole and I can't decide if it's because it's not my cup of tea, if it just didn't do what I wanted it to do, or if it's just something my peanut brain can't understand.

The first one I get, it's a political allegory. Maguire said so himself. And it does a lot to discuss how villains are made. It even started a whole genre. But it also didn't really hit the notes I hoped it would. Is that because I saw the musical first and THAT shaped my opinion? Probably to some degree. The musical did a good balance of hitting those allegories but also keeping it way more streamlined, focused, and on Elphie and Glinda.

But those sequels? I feel like they really had an opportunity to say something about family, legacy, and how history rhymes. But it never really said that. Or at least not in the way I wanted it.

I'd really love to discuss this if anyone's down. Because I really want to like this series. I want to get it. But I just don't.

Folks act like "maybe the author isn't the final authority about what their work means" is some wanky post-modern nonsense and not a simple recognition that a lot of authors are perfectly prepared to bullshit about their own work. Like, leaving big-name popular media aside, I have personally encountered authors being actively disingenuous about their own work for all of the following reasons:

A true answer wouldn't fit the image they've cultivated.

They've decided they like the explanation the readers/viewers have come up with better than what they actually had in mind.

Something that was originally intended as a standalone work ended up growing into a franchise or series, and now they're pretending that was the plan all along for some reason.

They don't want to admit that the bit you're asking about is genuinely just a plot hole.

The real answer gets into some shit they don't care to discuss, so they've prepared a cover story to explain away the parts they don't want to talk about.

Their politics have changed since they wrote it, but they don't want to acknowledge that, so they're constantly trying to re-interpret everything they've ever written to be perfectly consistent with whatever their positions are this week.

They wrote it decades ago and they honestly don't remember what they were thinking at the time, so they're just making shit up; sometimes they also don't remember what shit they made up the last time, so the answer is different every time they're asked.

The work in question is at least partly autobiographical and they can't tell the truth without confessing to a crime in the process.

Most of the good bits are plagiarised and they don't really understand it themselves.

They're lying to you on purpose, for evil reasons.

[jbaileyfansite]

When it comes to long-awaited films, there are few movies with as much anticipation as Wicked. Inspired by Gregory Maguire’s best-selling novel, it became a cultural juggernaut when it transitioned to the Broadway stage. Now, one can't talk about the Wicked Witch of the West without talking about Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Galinda/Glinda (Ariana Grande). While the massive film has brought Oz’s witches to life like never before, it's Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) who’s most benefitted from the stage-to-screen transition.

Fiyero's roots can be traced back to author L. Frank Baum’s original Oz lore, though the Winkie Prince himself is Maguire’s creation. On stage, Fiyero is a lovable troublemaker who flirts, and of course, dances, his way through life. The big screen version of Wicked honors this while adding a uniquely wonderful twist to his Lothario nature. When Fiyero arrives in the show, he charms Galinda in a very similar way to what he does on screen, but Fiyero’s actions in the movie aren’t solely to impress Galinda. Rather, he is out to create a real sense of joy for everyone, an effort that is made clear through his flirtation. While an ensemble number on Broadway, his stage counterpart spends the whole of the song with Galinda, where the film has him flirt and dance with a multitude of Shiz students to help them celebrate life.

While Fiyero mirrors some of cinema’s most iconic “bad boys,”one of the best changes the movie makes is his sexual ambiguity. He shares his seductive side with all of his fellow students, no matter their gender. And, what’s more, he genuinely enjoys it, sharing some of his steamiest flirtations with male cohorts. It’s a wonderful way to not only shake up the archetype but also makes Fiyero himself feel more fleshed out. But the greatest alteration comes from his relationship with Elphaba.

Elphaba Reveals That Bailey’s Fiyero Is Deeper Than He Seems

On stage, Fiyero starts to show depth in the second act, but Wicked doesn’t make audiences wait for the second film to see that there is more to the character. Both of Fiyero’s scenes with Elphaba exist on stage, but Bailey and Erivo fill their interactions with nuance. Both actors give their first meeting new meaning with the screen version. The musical usually plays this moment as an unpleasant introduction, but Erivo and Bailey play the scene as an undeniable flirtation. It’s a fantastic way to set up Elphaba’s upcoming conflict and solidify the complication that brews below Fiyero’s surface. Bailey brings a boyish charm to the scene that makes it clear he is undeniably taken with Elphaba (the first person in the film to be so), and he continues to add depth to the character after he and Elphaba free the imprisoned lion cub.

She gets under his skin in a way no one else can. While many in Shiz lust for Fiyero, no one can see his internal unhappiness except for her. When she touches him, Bailey shifts his performance and makes it clear that she is the first person to make Fiyero really look within and question what he wants out of life. It’s a beautiful way to foreshadow the conflict he will continue to face in the second part of Wicked and pulls on the heartstrings of moviegoers. He immediately goes from a lovable flirt to a relatable, deeply complicated young man who just might find himself in the woman who will eventually be perceived as Oz’s greatest villain.

Indeed, there is no denying that Wicked has used its new medium to reinvent Fiyero. From twisting an age-old archetype to Bailey’s fantastically intricate performance, he’s become a far more interesting version of the character. As audiences anticipate the next installment, it’s safe to say that Fiyero is set up for even more exploration.

Source

[notearsnora]

Gregory Maguire, the author of the book WICKED was based on, in a new Instagram post.

[homoerotic-sea-shanties]

i’m collecting them like pokémon cards. gotta catch ‘em all i guess…

Four authors after a wonderful dinner the other night. I’ll reblog the first person to correctly identify all of four of us. (Clue, top right is me, unshaven, and not, as you probably thought, a random werewolf.)

[princesssarisa]

Here's another interesting discovery:

Just like many other authors, Gregory Maguire used celebrity facecasts in his mind when he wrote Wicked!

Elphaba he imagined looking like k.d. lang (only greener, of course):

Glinda like Melanie Griffith:

And Fiyero like Antonio Banderas:

(All these pictures are from the early '90s, since that's when he was writing the book.)

[alsmediadissection]

˗ˏˋ elphaba and glinda's relationship for beginners ´ˎ˗

Gelphie truthers, this is for you.

!! i want to preface this by saying i'm not a professional critic, and this is not a 100% guide to anything either. do not take anything i type online to absolute heart, this is simply my personal interpretation of this piece of media !! (i also want to mention that i did not read the Wicked novel/series by Gregory Maguire)

! CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR ACT 2 IF YOU HAVE NOT WATCHED THE WHOLE MUSICAL !

Glinda and Elphaba’s relationship in Wicked is one of the most compelling dynamics in the story, offering rich ground for analysis. Their bond evolves from animosity to deep friendship and ultimately to mutual respect, reflecting themes of personal growth, the complexity of human connection, and the challenge of societal expectations.

To begin, their obvious trope is 'Opposites Attract" hence the juxtaposition of personalities. Glinda and Elphaba initially represent polar opposites: Glinda embodies privilege, popularity, and superficiality, while Elphaba is intelligent, principled, and ostracized. Their early antagonism underscores societal divides between the advantaged and the marginalized. Over time, their contrasting traits serve as a catalyst for mutual growth. Glinda learns to look beyond surface-level appearances and question her privilege, while Elphaba becomes more open to trust and connection.

Their relationship with one another is a good reflection of societal tensions as well. Their dynamic reflects broader societal struggles, including prejudice, privilege, and the challenges of overcoming systemic divides. Glinda’s initial condescension toward Elphaba mirrors societal attitudes that uphold hierarchies based on appearance or status. Elphaba’s willingness to challenge Glinda’s shallow worldview forces Glinda to confront her biases, showing how cross-group friendships can challenge prejudices.

Glinda and Elphaba's relationship is extremely important in media as well because it demonstrates the power of female solidarity. Despite their differences, Glinda and Elphaba ultimately unite, forming a bond that transcends societal expectations. Their friendship demonstrates the transformative power of female solidarity, especially in the face of oppressive systems. Their relationship subverts the trope of women being in competition, particularly over male attention. While Fiyero is a point of tension, their bond grows stronger, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing mutual support over rivalry.

Even though they are seemingly on opposite sides of society, they nonetheless have shared struggles and empathy towards eachother. While their experiences differ, both Glinda and Elphaba grapple with societal expectations. Glinda struggles with the pressure to conform and maintain her image, while Elphaba battles overt discrimination and rejection. Their ability to empathize with each other’s struggles is a key factor in their relationship. Glinda’s eventual support for Elphaba reflects her growing understanding of what it means to stand against injustice (Glinda wouldn't be the person she is without Elphie!!).

A beautiful thing i find in their relationship is their relationship is shaped by sacrifice, adding tragic elements. The tragedy of their friendship lies in its ultimate separation. While they love and respect one another deeply, their differing paths—Elphaba’s defiance of authority and Glinda’s choice to reform from within—force them apart. Their parting scene, marked by the song “For Good,” is a poignant acknowledgment of the profound impact they’ve had on each other’s lives. It underscores that, despite their separation, their bond remains a defining and transformative force for both.

Glinda is not only Elphaba's friend, but she is also an ally and foil. Glinda’s evolution into an ally is a critical aspect of their relationship. Her eventual support for Elphaba reflects her willingness to use her privilege for good, even as she struggles with her own complicity in the system. As a foil to Elphaba, Glinda’s character highlights Elphaba’s strengths and convictions. Where Glinda hesitates or conforms, Elphaba boldly acts, challenging societal norms. Conversely, Glinda’s charm and diplomacy show a softer, more strategic approach to effecting change, contrasting with Elphaba’s fiery defiance. THEY BALANCE EACHOTHER.

Their relationship is marked by forgiveness and redemption. Glinda’s initial superficiality and complicity in Elphaba’s ostracization are eventually overshadowed by her genuine remorse and efforts to honour Elphaba’s legacy. Elphaba’s willingness to forgive Glinda illustrates her capacity for understanding and her recognition of Glinda’s growth.

And as you all know, their relationship is filled with lot of queer subtext. Many fans interpret their relationship through a queer lens, seeing their bond as emblematic of deep, romantic love. Their intense connection, mutual admiration, and ultimate separation echo many queer narratives of love that cannot fully thrive due to societal pressures. Whether viewed as romantic or platonic, their relationship defies traditional definitions, suggesting that love and connection can take many forms. (this makes me want to write a Glinda sexuality media dissection)

Their relationship also emphasizes the importance of maintaining individuality within a deep bond, individuality within connection. Both characters inspire each other’s growth but remain true to their core values. Glinda chooses to stay in Oz and work for change from within, while Elphaba pursues her revolutionary path. This dynamic highlights the idea that meaningful relationships do not require total agreement but rather mutual respect and understanding.

Glinda and Elphaba’s relationship in Wicked is a masterful exploration of human connection across divides. Their journey from adversaries to allies illustrates the transformative power of empathy, the challenges of societal pressures, and the importance of standing together against oppression. Their bond, though ultimately bittersweet, serves as a testament to the profound ways people can shape and change one another “for good.”

So long story short....lesbians rule.

[ranmagender]

i always love when i meet fellow lovers of the public domain.

I remember years ago coming across a forum thread where people were discussing books and one person complained about how he hates authors who "cant come up with their own characters and just leech off the popularity of popular works" and cited Gregory Maguire as an example, the author of Wicked.

Like it just baffled me. All my childhood favorite disney films, countless stories and adaptations of fairytales and books were all part of popular media and like it seems natural, thats what humans do. even beyond fiction the concept of memes is just concepts adapted and changed and expanded upon by bunch of people.

This contempt for public domain works is, really strange and while I had only seen one example of it like 10 years ago, in recent years its become a more popular opinion to spew.

People need to realize just how modern the concept of copyright as it exists today is and how throughout history, it was just like, a thing people did all the time. ideas get expanded upon in a dialogue of creations across time, it's a beautiful part of being human.

Copyright should aim to protect a work for an authors lifetime and for a bit after in my opinion mainly to help their creations not get stolen by corporations, but modern copyright isnt really like about that. it exists mostly to benefit corporations who realized "oh wait, these ips are valuable, lets hoard them"

not to sound like a commie again but like, its just another thing the wealthy hoard from the people. Money, land, housing, food and even our stories? I find the concept revolting.

[gennsoup]

Nothing in my childhood was charming. What fortune attended our lives was courtesy of jealousy, greed, and murder. And nothing in my childhood was charmed. Or not that I could see at the time. If magic was present, it moved under the skin of the world, beneath the ability of human eyes to catch sight of it.

Gregory Maguire, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister

[spiribia]

it's not impossible i've unknowingly passed wicked author gregory maguire in the street at some point of my life. yet you'll note that he has never taken this opportunity to apologize to me

[e-the-village-cryptid]

[ID: the "they don't know" meme. the people dancing are labeled "everyone referring to gregory maguire just as 'the author of wicked'" while the guy in the corner thinks "they don't know about the kids' book about a train carrying the Russian royalty getting stuck in a starving peasant town and so the princess and peasant girl become friends and it's normal historical fiction for fully 200 pages until Baba Yaga shows up and tries to eat them and it only spirals from there". End ID.]