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Thursday, November 15, 2007

Madame Morrible

Wikipedia:
Madame Morrible is the headmistress of Elphaba and Galinda's college (Crage Hall) in Shiz. She is suspected by Elphaba and her friends to be responsible for the murder of Dr. Dillamond. At one point, she proposes that Elphaba, Galinda, and Nessarose become future behind-the-scenes rulers in Oz, a proposal which they never willingly follow. Elphaba suspects that Madame Morrible has at least some magical powers and may have indeed controlled the fates of the three women. It is possible that she spies on Elphaba and sends messages to Liir through the Carp in the well at Elphaba's home in the Vinkus; the Carp dies at about the same time as Morrible. Morrible dies of natural causes minutes before Elphaba attempts to murder her.

Me:
This role is HUGE! She is the second biggest villain in the book, but she has the most air-time. I picture either an exceedingly proper woman, like Judi Dench can play, or a comically bumbling (yet somehow effective) leader. The first role may fit better with the tone, especially if she puts on a very false air of joviality. Perhaps a character like Dolores Umbridge in Harry Potter 5. Total witch, but has pictures of kitties and a laugh like a seven-year old. However she is cast, this woman is evil. She is totally bent on making the wizard Numero Uno, and on keeping his totalitarian regime in tact. She should laugh as she dies, seeing Elphaba coming to kill her, knowing that she will be dead before the witch gets to her. I want her to be powerful, but no one really realize it until it is too late. I want her prediction/request to come true, just in a slightly different way.

The three witches should have their titles/positions because of the influence of Morrible. Glinda will follow most closely, and will rise through the ranks of society using her magic and social talents in the North. Nessa, although requested to be in the South, ends up in the East where Elphaba was requested. Nessa becomes exactly what Morrible wants of her, the Bitch of the East and keeps the Munchkinlanders in line until her death. Elphaba's resistance of Morrible's magic helps her escape to the West with the Winkies. She hides there for some time, but eventually comes back because of Morrible. Really, the only thing that keeps her prediction from working is the arrival of the tornado, and the house that kills Nessa. Morrible will do much to alter the history of Oz, but she will be behind the scenes, rather than the head like the Wizard.

1 comment:

Shay said...

So I find all these pictures of Madame Morrible, and she looks SO creepy! (Well, actually it's fun to make fun of her, but my friends cower at her pictures sometimes too) I found that in ALMOST every picture but 3 with Madame Morrible in it, that somebody is either staring at her or looking really creeped out. My mom once said that she would probably try to be her if she got a spot in Wicked.