Silver Shoes
Encyclopedia
The Silver Shoes are the magical shoes that appear in the book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
as Dorothy Gale's
transport home. They were originally owned by the Wicked Witch of the East
but passed to Dorothy when her house landed on the Witch. As gathered from the clues throughout the various books and films, the Silver Shoes will only pass to a new owner if they have physically defeated the previous owner or the previous owner willingly hands them over.
, who tells Dorothy that "there is some charm connected with them; but what it is we never knew" (L. Frank Baum
-The Wizard of Oz). When Dorothy is captured by the Wicked Witch of the West
, she tries to steal the shoes. She finally gets one by tricking Dorothy into tripping over an invisible iron bar. Dorothy then melts the Witch with a bucket of water and recovers the shoe. In the final chapters of the book, Glinda, the Good Witch of the South
explains that the shoes can transport the wearer anywhere they wish. If the Silver Shoes had any other powers they are never outlined in the books. When Dorothy arrives home in Kansas she finds that the shoes are gone, having fallen off during her flight and landing somewhere in the Deadly Desert
. Though they are mentioned several times in sequels, they never appear again in the original series.
version of the story, the silver shoes are a gift to Nessarose
(the Wicked Witch of the East) that enable her to walk properly. They are given to her by her father and then enchanted by Glinda (Elphaba
in the musical
), turning them into the ruby slippers
.
The Wizard of the Emerald City
In Alexander Melentyevich Volkov
's The Wizard of the Emerald City, the shoes are the source of Elly's (his version of Dorothy) protection instead of the good Witch's kiss. She is therefore attacked once by an Ogre when removing them, and afterward wears them even when she sleeps. They are not taken from the Witch's body, but rather brought by Toto from her dwelling (a dark cave). This was possibly done to avert the problem of a person wearing the shoes to be impossible to harm, since in that book the hurricane was created by the Wicked Witch to destroy mankind, and redirected upon her by the Good Witch of the North
, who suffered no ill effects for harming her. It is said the Witch only wore the shoes on very special occasions. They are lost just like in Baum's book.
first leaked confidential information about the existence of Oz to the public in the form of a children's book. Donald and his family join forces with George Clarke, a middle-aged man on the run since childhood. As a young boy himself, fifty-two years earlier, George discovered the other Silver Shoe on his family's farm in Missouri.
"Silver Shoes" was selected as a Kansas Notable Book in 2010 by the Kansas Center for the Book and the State Library of Kansas
.
.
the shoes serve the same purpose as in the book but are changed to red (See Ruby slippers
). This movie proves that the shoes are magically protected. When the Wicked Witch of the West reaches for them, they shock and burn her hands and she cries out in pain.
, the shoes are silver high heels. This movie gives further insight into the shoe's magical protection. When Evillene (the witch of the west) tries to obtain them magically, her fingers are bent backwards and she exhibits signs of pain.
, the shoes are once again transformed into the ruby slippers, though they are never referred to by that name. They are heeled shoes with pointed, slightly curled toes. Unlike the book, the shoes are still on Dorothy's feet when she arrives in Kansas.
, the Ruby Slippers are used once again. In this movie, the slippers have more power than simply transporting people. They allow the Nome King
to conquer Oz and turn every one in the Emerald City
to stone. Dorothy later uses the shoes to reverse this process. This extra power is due to the fact the slippers replace the Nome King's Magic Belt. In the original draft of the script, the Nome King had refashioned the slippers into the actual Magic Belt from the novels. Upon his death, they reverted back into the form of slippers. This was cut from the final filming of the movie.
, the Silver Shoes are portrayed as sparkling, bejeweled, glittery Manolo Blahnik
high-heels. The laws of ownership are again displayed in that the Witch of the West tries to cut off Dorothy's feet to obtain the shoes. Once again the shoes remain on Dorothy's feet when she arrives home.
The shoes are used twice after they initially send Dorothy home. The first time, she is holding them in her hands when she clicks the heels and drops them. Consequently, Dorothy is transported to Oz and the shoes are left in Kansas (Glinda sends her home). The second time occurs while Dorothy is sleeping. Tik-Tok
is emitting a distress signal
and the shoes activate, transporting Dorothy to the Land of Ev in a beam of light
. Her clothes are changed in mid flight.
against hopeless situations. They are no longer depicted as high heels.
A unique concept proposed by this series is that the Ruby Slippers' magic is linked to the glow of their red coloration. Their powers only function while a dim glow of red light emanates from them, initiated by Dorothy clicking her heels; and the effects of their magic immediately cease after the shoes cease to glow. Also, the Wicked Witch was once able to annul their abilities entirely, by capturing a red Luminary (teardrop-shaped creatures who control all color in Oz) and forcing him to drain the red color from the slippers themselves. However the slippers regained their powers after the Luminary escaped.
This series also proposes that the slippers do not necessarily have to be on the user's feet for their powers to work, as Dorothy once used them by tapping the heels together when she held the shoes in her hands (since the ground's sandy surface prevented her from clicking the heels together).
Also worth noting in a single episode, is that Truckle, the series' lead Flying Monkey, was once able to wear the Ruby Slippers and thus utilize their powerful magic for his own whims. Even with his generally dim wits and reckless disregard, the slippers gave him sufficient power to overwhelm the Wicked Witch of the West
's magical attacks, and temporarily reduce her to his servant. This once again demonstrates that the shoes' users need not be a skilled/knowledgeable spellcaster, in order to gain great power.
series completely revamps the Silver Shoes. They are instead depicted as red boots created by Selluriah, the Witch of the East. When Mara (codename Dorothy) stomps the heels of said boots, she takes on the form and powers of a witch. This power is channeled (rather inexpertly) through the staff Thrysos. The transformation is rather embarrassing as it involves Mara being momentarily nude and various men are always apt to spot her. It is yet to be revealed if these boots will help Mara return home.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a children's novel written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow. Originally published by the George M. Hill Company in Chicago on May 17, 1900, it has since been reprinted numerous times, most often under the name The Wizard of Oz, which is the name of...
as Dorothy Gale's
Dorothy Gale
Dorothy Gale is the protagonist of many of the Oz novels by American author L. Frank Baum, and the best friend of Oz's ruler Princess Ozma. Dorothy first appears in Baum's classic children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and reappears in most of its sequels...
transport home. They were originally owned by the Wicked Witch of the East
Wicked Witch of the East
The Wicked Witch of the East is a character in the fictional Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum in his Oz series of books....
but passed to Dorothy when her house landed on the Witch. As gathered from the clues throughout the various books and films, the Silver Shoes will only pass to a new owner if they have physically defeated the previous owner or the previous owner willingly hands them over.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
This is the only book in the original series to feature the Silver Shoes directly. They are the property of the Wicked Witch of the East until Dorothy's house lands on and kills her. They are then given to Dorothy by The Good Witch of the NorthGood Witch of the North
The Good Witch of the North is a fictional character in the Land of Oz, created by American author L. Frank Baum. She is the elderly and mild-mannered Ruler of the Gillikin Country...
, who tells Dorothy that "there is some charm connected with them; but what it is we never knew" (L. Frank Baum
L. Frank Baum
Lyman Frank Baum was an American author of children's books, best known for writing The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
-The Wizard of Oz). When Dorothy is captured by the Wicked Witch of the West
Wicked Witch of the West
The Wicked Witch of the West is a fictional character and the most significant antagonist in L. Frank Baum's children's book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
, she tries to steal the shoes. She finally gets one by tricking Dorothy into tripping over an invisible iron bar. Dorothy then melts the Witch with a bucket of water and recovers the shoe. In the final chapters of the book, Glinda, the Good Witch of the South
Glinda
Glinda is a fictional character in the Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum. She is the most powerful sorceress of Oz, ruler of the Quadling Country south of the Emerald City, and protector of Princess Ozma.- Literature :Baum's 1900 children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
explains that the shoes can transport the wearer anywhere they wish. If the Silver Shoes had any other powers they are never outlined in the books. When Dorothy arrives home in Kansas she finds that the shoes are gone, having fallen off during her flight and landing somewhere in the Deadly Desert
Deadly Desert
The Deadly Desert is the magical desert that completely surrounds the fictional Land of Oz. On maps, the Eastern quadrant of the desert is called the Deadly Desert, while the other three quadrants of desert are called the Shifting Sands, the Impassable Desert, and the Great Sandy Waste.The desert...
. Though they are mentioned several times in sequels, they never appear again in the original series.
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West
In Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the WestWicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, is a parallel novel published in 1995 written by Gregory Maguire and illustrated by Douglas Smith. It is a revisionist look at the land and characters of Oz from L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, its sequels, and the...
version of the story, the silver shoes are a gift to Nessarose
Nessarose
Nessarose Thropp is the name of the woman who becomes the Wicked Witch of the East in Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, as well as in the Broadway adaptation, Wicked...
(the Wicked Witch of the East) that enable her to walk properly. They are given to her by her father and then enchanted by Glinda (Elphaba
Elphaba
Elphaba Thropp is a fictional character in Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, as well as in the Broadway and West End adaptations, Wicked. In the original L. Frank Baum book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West is unnamed and little...
in the musical
Wicked (musical)
Wicked is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. It is based on the Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West , a parallel novel of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and L. Frank Baum's classic story The Wonderful Wizard...
), turning them into the ruby slippers
Ruby slippers
The ruby slippers are the shoes worn by Dorothy in the 1939 MGM movie The Wizard of Oz. Because of their iconic stature, they are now among the most treasured and valuable of film memorabilia. As was customary for important props, a number of pairs were made for the film, though no one knows...
.
The Wizard of the Emerald CityThe Wizard of the Emerald CityThe Wizard of the Emerald City is a 1939 children's novel by Russian writer Alexander Melentyevich Volkov. The book is a loose translation of L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
In Alexander Melentyevich VolkovAlexander Melentyevich Volkov
Alexander Melentyevich Volkov was a Soviet novelist and mathematician.He wrote several historical novels, but is mostly remembered for a series of children's books based on L...
's The Wizard of the Emerald City, the shoes are the source of Elly's (his version of Dorothy) protection instead of the good Witch's kiss. She is therefore attacked once by an Ogre when removing them, and afterward wears them even when she sleeps. They are not taken from the Witch's body, but rather brought by Toto from her dwelling (a dark cave). This was possibly done to avert the problem of a person wearing the shoes to be impossible to harm, since in that book the hurricane was created by the Wicked Witch to destroy mankind, and redirected upon her by the Good Witch of the North
Good Witch of the North
The Good Witch of the North is a fictional character in the Land of Oz, created by American author L. Frank Baum. She is the elderly and mild-mannered Ruler of the Gillikin Country...
, who suffered no ill effects for harming her. It is said the Witch only wore the shoes on very special occasions. They are lost just like in Baum's book.
Silver Shoes
An action-adventure/fantasy novel with a modern setting by Paul Miles Schneider, in which an eleven-year-old boy named Donald Gardner is driving across Kansas with his parents after a boring summer vacation. They pull off the road for a quick stop and encounter a mysterious woman offering a silver shoe for sale. Donald's mother collects antique silver and impulsively buys it. The shoe turns out to be one of the lost Silver Shoes worn by Dorothy when she was magically transported back to Kansas from Oz. A chase begins, involving supernatural creatures, secret agents, and mysterious parties from both worlds. All of them have been searching for the shoes ever since famed author L. Frank BaumL. Frank Baum
Lyman Frank Baum was an American author of children's books, best known for writing The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
first leaked confidential information about the existence of Oz to the public in the form of a children's book. Donald and his family join forces with George Clarke, a middle-aged man on the run since childhood. As a young boy himself, fifty-two years earlier, George discovered the other Silver Shoe on his family's farm in Missouri.
"Silver Shoes" was selected as a Kansas Notable Book in 2010 by the Kansas Center for the Book and the State Library of Kansas
State Library of Kansas
The State Library of Kansas is a department within the state government of Kansas, with locations in Topeka and Emporia. Jo Budler is the State Librarian.-Locations:...
.
Wizard of Oz (1925 film)
The shoes were absent from the 1925 movieWizard of Oz (1925 film)
Wizard of Oz is a 1925 silent film directed by Larry Semon, who also appears in a lead role. The first major film adaptation of L. Frank Baum's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, this film features a young Oliver Hardy as the "Tin Woodsman."-Plot:...
.
The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)
In the 1939 movieThe Wizard of Oz (1939 film)
The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed primarily by Victor Fleming. Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf received credit for the screenplay, but there were uncredited contributions by others. The lyrics for the songs...
the shoes serve the same purpose as in the book but are changed to red (See Ruby slippers
Ruby slippers
The ruby slippers are the shoes worn by Dorothy in the 1939 MGM movie The Wizard of Oz. Because of their iconic stature, they are now among the most treasured and valuable of film memorabilia. As was customary for important props, a number of pairs were made for the film, though no one knows...
). This movie proves that the shoes are magically protected. When the Wicked Witch of the West reaches for them, they shock and burn her hands and she cries out in pain.
The Wiz
In The WizThe Wiz (film)
The Wiz is a 1978 musical film produced by Motown Productions and Universal Pictures, and released by Universal on October 24, 1978. An urbanized retelling of L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz featuring an entirely African-American cast, The Wiz was adapted from the 1975 Broadway musical...
, the shoes are silver high heels. This movie gives further insight into the shoe's magical protection. When Evillene (the witch of the west) tries to obtain them magically, her fingers are bent backwards and she exhibits signs of pain.
The Wizard of Oz (1982 film)
In the anime movieThe Wizard of Oz (1982 film)
is a 1982 Japanese anime feature film directed by Fumihiko Takayama, from a screenplay by Yoshimitsu Banno and Akira Miyazaki, which is based on the 1900 children's novel by L...
, the shoes are once again transformed into the ruby slippers, though they are never referred to by that name. They are heeled shoes with pointed, slightly curled toes. Unlike the book, the shoes are still on Dorothy's feet when she arrives in Kansas.
Return to Oz
In Return to OzReturn to Oz
Return to Oz is a 1985 film which is an unofficial sequel to Victor Fleming's The Wizard of Oz. The film is based on the second and third Oz books, The Marvelous Land of Oz and Ozma of Oz...
, the Ruby Slippers are used once again. In this movie, the slippers have more power than simply transporting people. They allow the Nome King
Nome King
The Nome King is a fictional character in L. Frank Baum's Oz books. Although the Wicked Witch of the West is the most famous of Oz's villains , the Nome King is the closest the book series has to a main antagonist.-In the novels:The character called the Nome King is originally named Roquat the Red...
to conquer Oz and turn every one in the Emerald City
Emerald City
The Emerald City is the fictional capital city of the Land of Oz in L. Frank Baum's Oz books, first described in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
to stone. Dorothy later uses the shoes to reverse this process. This extra power is due to the fact the slippers replace the Nome King's Magic Belt. In the original draft of the script, the Nome King had refashioned the slippers into the actual Magic Belt from the novels. Upon his death, they reverted back into the form of slippers. This was cut from the final filming of the movie.
The Muppets' Wizard of Oz
In The Muppets' Wizard of OzThe Muppets' Wizard of Oz
The Muppets' Wizard of Oz is a 2005 musical telefilm directed by Kirk Thatcher and starring Ashanti and The Muppets. The film was produced by Bill Barretta and written by Debra Frank, Steve L. Hayes, Tom Martin, and Adam F...
, the Silver Shoes are portrayed as sparkling, bejeweled, glittery Manolo Blahnik
Manolo Blahnik
Manuel "Manolo" Blahnik Rodríguez CBE, , is a Spanish fashion designer and founder of the self-named, high-end shoe brand.-Biography:Born to a Czech father and a Spanish mother and born and raised in the Canary Islands , Blahnik graduated from the University of Geneva in 1965 and studied art in Paris...
high-heels. The laws of ownership are again displayed in that the Witch of the West tries to cut off Dorothy's feet to obtain the shoes. Once again the shoes remain on Dorothy's feet when she arrives home.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1986 anime)
When first seen on the feet of the Witch of the East in the 1986 anime version, they are brown peasant's shoes. The Witch of the North then magically transfers them to Dorothy's feet, they take on the appearance of white slip-on shoes. When Dorothy is forced to give one of the shoes to the Witch of the West, it reverts to the peasant form. After the Witch is melted and Dorothy is shown wearing it again, it has returned to its white form.The shoes are used twice after they initially send Dorothy home. The first time, she is holding them in her hands when she clicks the heels and drops them. Consequently, Dorothy is transported to Oz and the shoes are left in Kansas (Glinda sends her home). The second time occurs while Dorothy is sleeping. Tik-Tok
Tik-Tok
Tik-Tok is a fictional character from the Land of Oz books by L. Frank Baum. He has been termed "the prototype robot," and is widely considered to be the first robot to appear in modern literature, though that term was coined after Baum's death....
is emitting a distress signal
Distress signal
A distress signal is an internationally recognized means for obtaining help. Distress signals take the form of or are commonly made by using radio signals, displaying a visually detected item or illumination, or making an audible sound, from a distance....
and the shoes activate, transporting Dorothy to the Land of Ev in a beam of light
Light beam
A light beam or beam of light is a narrow projection of light energy radiating from a source into a beam. Sunlight is a natural example of a light beam when filtered through various mediums...
. Her clothes are changed in mid flight.
The Wizard of Oz (TV series)
In the The Wizard of Oz television series, the Ruby Slippers are used to transport Dorothy back to Oz. They are depicted to possess other powerful magical capabilities that Dorothy did not fully understand, and as such, often served as a from of deus ex machinaDeus ex machina
A deus ex machina is a plot device whereby a seemingly inextricable problem is suddenly and abruptly solved with the contrived and unexpected intervention of some new event, character, ability, or object.-Linguistic considerations:...
against hopeless situations. They are no longer depicted as high heels.
A unique concept proposed by this series is that the Ruby Slippers' magic is linked to the glow of their red coloration. Their powers only function while a dim glow of red light emanates from them, initiated by Dorothy clicking her heels; and the effects of their magic immediately cease after the shoes cease to glow. Also, the Wicked Witch was once able to annul their abilities entirely, by capturing a red Luminary (teardrop-shaped creatures who control all color in Oz) and forcing him to drain the red color from the slippers themselves. However the slippers regained their powers after the Luminary escaped.
This series also proposes that the slippers do not necessarily have to be on the user's feet for their powers to work, as Dorothy once used them by tapping the heels together when she held the shoes in her hands (since the ground's sandy surface prevented her from clicking the heels together).
Also worth noting in a single episode, is that Truckle, the series' lead Flying Monkey, was once able to wear the Ruby Slippers and thus utilize their powerful magic for his own whims. Even with his generally dim wits and reckless disregard, the slippers gave him sufficient power to overwhelm the Wicked Witch of the West
Wicked Witch of the West
The Wicked Witch of the West is a fictional character and the most significant antagonist in L. Frank Baum's children's book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
's magical attacks, and temporarily reduce her to his servant. This once again demonstrates that the shoes' users need not be a skilled/knowledgeable spellcaster, in order to gain great power.
Dorothy of Oz manhwa series
The Dorothy of OzDorothy of Oz
Dorothy of Oz is a manhwa by Son Hee-joon originally published by Haksanpub and translated into English by UDON. The series contains five volumes to date; the first four of which have been translated into English....
series completely revamps the Silver Shoes. They are instead depicted as red boots created by Selluriah, the Witch of the East. When Mara (codename Dorothy) stomps the heels of said boots, she takes on the form and powers of a witch. This power is channeled (rather inexpertly) through the staff Thrysos. The transformation is rather embarrassing as it involves Mara being momentarily nude and various men are always apt to spot her. It is yet to be revealed if these boots will help Mara return home.