Nessarose facts for kids

Nessarose Thropp is a character from the book Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire. She also appears in the Broadway musical Wicked. Nessarose becomes known as the Wicked Witch of the East.

She is the younger sister of Elphaba, who later becomes the Wicked Witch of the West. Nessarose is often seen in a more understanding way than the original character from L. Frank Baum's stories. She has good qualities but also becomes very strict and self-righteous. She gets her famous title because of her harsh rules in Munchkinland and her use of magic to control people.

Her story ends when Dorothy's house accidentally lands on her. Only her special shoes are left behind.

Nessarose in the Novel

In Gregory Maguire's book Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, Nessarose is a very religious person. She was born without arms but is still beautiful and delicate. Her sister Elphaba often has to help her. Nessarose grew up in the Quadling Country and always needed her Nanny's help because she couldn't balance well without arms.

Because of her strong religious beliefs, Nessarose can sometimes be stubborn and proud. Her father, Frexspar, even worried she was "too devoted." Unlike in the musical, Nessarose is not interested in Boq or anyone else. She lives a quiet life.

When her Nanny goes to work at Shiz University, Nessarose joins her. She starts college earlier than planned. Nessarose, Elphaba, and Glinda are chosen by Madame Morrible to be powerful magic-users with special jobs. Nessarose was meant to rule the South. She didn't want the job, but she eventually ended up ruling a different part of Oz. When Elphaba leaves college without a word, Nessarose is very upset and angry. She holds a grudge against her sister for a long time. Glinda helps Nessarose during this time, and they become close friends.

With Elphaba gone, Nessarose becomes the "Eminent Thropp." As the Eminence of the East, she opposes the Wizard's strict rule. She makes Munchkinland an independent country. During her time as ruler, Nessarose starts using magic, even though she used to be against it. She calls her spells "miracles" from her God.

Some people still ask her for help. Once, a woman asked her to stop her maid from marrying a local woodsman. Nessarose cast a spell on the woodsman's axe. This spell caused him to lose his limbs. She said that people without limbs are less attractive. It is hinted that this woodsman becomes the Tin Woodman. This event matches the story from L. Frank Baum about how the Tin Woodman lost his limbs because of the Wicked Witch of the East's magic.

Nessarose originally owned the magical Silver Shoes. Her father gave them to her as a gift. Later, Glinda made them even more powerful, turning them into the famous Ruby Slippers. These shoes allowed Nessarose to walk and stand on her own. They made her feel very confident and proud. This pride made her rule over the Munchkins even stricter. Elphaba later tries to get these shoes from Dorothy. This quest leads to Elphaba's own downfall. Elphaba wanted the shoes because they reminded her of her father's favoritism towards Nessarose.

Nessarose and Elphaba are very different. Elphaba doesn't believe in a soul, while Nessarose constantly prays for Elphaba's soul. Nessarose asks Elphaba to stay and help her rule Munchkinland. Elphaba leaves her, but later regrets it after Nessarose dies. She wonders if she could have saved Nessarose if she had stayed.

Nessarose's death, caused by Dorothy's falling house, led to many funny sayings among the people of Oz.

Nessarose in the Musical

In the musical version of Wicked, Nessarose is quite different. She is not chosen to be a sorceress. She was not born without arms but uses a wheelchair because of damage to her legs. She is still beautiful and sometimes needs her sister's help. The musical shows her as a more sad character.

Glinda tries to get rid of a boy named Boq who likes her. She sets him up on a date with Nessarose. Boq pretends to like Nessarose to impress Glinda. But Nessarose becomes very attached to him. After her father dies, Nessarose becomes the Governor of Munchkinland. She takes away the Munchkins' rights and stops them from leaving. She does all this to make Boq stay with her. This earns her the name "Wicked Witch of the East."

Like in the book, Nessarose gets the Silver Shoes from her father. She feels bad that Elphaba never got such a gift. She is excited when Elphaba is invited by the Wizard to be his helper. In the musical, Nessarose respects and fears the Wizard. She gets very angry with Elphaba when her sister opposes the Wizard. This leads to their father dying "of shame." Nessarose says she cannot hide Elphaba because she is a government official. She also points out that Elphaba never used her magic to cure Nessarose's disability. Feeling guilty, Elphaba uses a spell from her Grimmerie to enchant the Silver Shoes. They turn into the magical Ruby Slippers, allowing Nessarose to walk without her wheelchair.

Now that she can walk, Nessarose thinks Boq will stay with her. But Boq says he is free to go after Glinda. He even threatens her with a knife. Nessarose is hurt and angry. She tries to cast a spell from the Grimmerie to make Boq love her. But Nessarose has never learned magic. She mispronounces the spell, which causes Boq to literally lose his heart. While Elphaba tries to save him, Nessarose thinks about how being "alone and loveless" made her do bad things. She fears she deserves to be alone.

Elphaba eventually leaves Nessarose for good, despite Nessarose begging her to stay. Elphaba turns Boq into a Tin Man so he can live without a heart. A desperate Nessarose blames Elphaba for this. A horrified Boq runs away, leaving Nessarose alone. She feels unable to walk and sees her life as very sad.

Glinda accidentally causes Nessarose's death in the musical. Glinda suggests spreading a rumor that Nessarose is in danger to capture Elphaba. Madame Morrible takes this idea too far. She creates a cyclone that brings Dorothy's house to Oz. The house falls on Nessarose, crushing her to death.

Michelle Federer first played Nessarose on Broadway. Other actresses who have played the role include Cristy Candler, Jenna Leigh Green, Deedee Magno Hall, Katie Rowley Jones, Caroline Keiff, Natalie Anderson, Marcie Dodd, Summer Naomi Smart, and Penny McNamee.

See also

• Wicked (Maguire novel)