Scarecrow (Oz)

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Cover of The Scarecrow of Oz (1915) by L. Frank Baum; illustration by John R. Neill.
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Cover of The Scarecrow of Oz (1915) by L. Frank Baum; illustration by John R. Neill.

The Scarecrow is a character in the fictional Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum and illustrator William Wallace Denslow. In his first appearance, the Scarecrow reveals that he lacks a brain and desires above all else to have one.

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[edit] In The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

In Baum's classic 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the living scarecrow encounters Dorothy Gale in a field in the Munchkin Country while she is on her way to the Emerald City. The "mindless" Scarecrow joins Dorothy in the hope that The Wizard will give him a brain. They are later joined by the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion. After Dorothy and her friends have completed their mission to kill the Wicked Witch of the West, the Wizard gives the Scarecrow brains (made out of bran, pins and needles – in reality a placebo, as he has been the most intelligent of the travellers all along). Before he leaves Oz in a balloon, the Wizard appoints the Scarecrow to rule Oz in his stead.

[edit] Scholarly interpretations

Denslow's drawing of scarecrow hung up on pole and helpless, from first edition of book, 1900
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Denslow's drawing of scarecrow hung up on pole and helpless, from first edition of book, 1900
 July 1896 Puck cartoon shows farmer hung up on pole and helpless; was this Denslow's inspiration? The hat says "silverite"; the locomotive is gold
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July 1896 Puck cartoon shows farmer hung up on pole and helpless; was this Denslow's inspiration? The hat says "silverite"; the locomotive is gold

Economics and history professors have published scholarly studies that indicate the images and characters used by Baum and Denslow closely resembled political images that were well known in the 1890s. The Scarecrow, like other characters and elements in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, was a common theme found in editorial cartoons of the previous decade. Baum and Denslow, like most writers, used the materials at hand that they knew best. They built a story around them, added Dorothy, and added a series of lessons to the effect that everyone possesses the resources they need (such as brains, a heart and courage) if only they had self confidence. Although it was a children’s book, of course, Baum noted in the preface that it was a "modernized" fairy tale as well.

Those who interpret The Wonderful Wizard of Oz as a political allegory often see the Scarecrow, a central figure, as a reflection of the popular image of the American farmer—although he has been persuaded that he is only a dumb hick, he possesses a strong common sense, remarkable insight and quick-wittedness that needs only to be reinforced by self confidence.

[edit] Later Oz Books

The Scarecrow also appears in other Oz books, sharing further adventures with Dorothy and her friends. His reign as king of the Emerald City ends in The Marvelous Land of Oz when he is ousted in a coup by General Jinjur and her Army of Revolt. He manages to escape the palace and joins Tip and his companions in seeking the aid of Glinda the Good. In The Emerald City of Oz, the Scarecrow lives in a house shaped like an ear of corn in Winkie Country. In The Scarecrow of Oz, the Scarecrow travels to Jinxland, where he helps Cap'n Bill, Trot and Button-Bright overthrow the villainous King Krewl. He is also the Emperor of the Silver Islands.

[edit] The 1939 movie

Ray Bolger as the Scarecrow in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz
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Ray Bolger as the Scarecrow in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz

In the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz, the Scarecrow was played by Ray Bolger. Bolger was a talented dancer, so The Scarecrow was given an extended dance sequence in the movie. However, to shorten the movie, much of this sequence was edited out. Other actors who have played The Scarecrow in movies over the years include Mickey Rooney and Michael Jackson.

[edit] Modern works

The Scarecrow is also a minor character in author Gregory Maguire's revisionist novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West and is made a more prominent character in its Broadway musical adaptation Wicked. In the musical, the Scarecrow is revealed to be the remnants of Fiyero after he was captured by the Wizard's officials, but made impervious to injury by Elphaba's incomplete spell. The Fiyero-Scarecrow executes a plan to save Elphaba through using the rumor that water will melt her; thus she stays alive and the two move into the Bad Lands. This has no basis in the book other than that in the final scenes Elphaba hopes that the Scarecrow is really her beloved Fiyero in disguise, which is proven to be a false hope when he is attacked and she sees that he is nothing but straw. The Scarecrow is featured more prominently in Son of a Witch, Maguire's sequel to Wicked. In that novel, the Scarecrow helps the Witch's (possible) son Liir avoid political turmoil in the Emerald City after the Wizard's departure. Later, various powerful interests place a different Scarecrow on the throne of Oz to serve as a puppet ruler; the suggestion is that most residents of Oz are unable to distinguish one Scarecrow from another.

In Todd McFarlane's action figure line "The Twisted Land of Oz", the scarecrow figure is a human skin stuffed with straw being attacked by zombie crows. In the accompanying story, this is punishment for a past life, where he operated on the brains of "patients" with a rusty scythe.

In The Muppets' Wizard of Oz, Kermit the Frog plays the role of the Scarecrow.

[edit] References

Preceded by:
The Wizard of Oz
Ruler of the Emerald City Succeeded by:
Jinjur
Preceded by:
Unknown
Silver Islands Succeeded by:
Unknown



The world of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Oz portal
The land | The characters | The books
The authors (Baum | Thompson | McGraw | Volkov) | The illustrators (Denslow | Neill)

The feature film adaptations

(1908: The Fairylogue and Radio-Plays | 1910: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz | Dorothy and the Scarecrow in Oz | The Land of Oz | 1914: The Patchwork Girl of Oz | The Magic Cloak of Oz | His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz | 1925: Wizard of Oz | 1939: The Wizard of Oz | 1961: Tales of the Wizard of Oz | 1964: Return to Oz | 1969: The Wonderful Land of Oz | 1971: Ayşecik ve Sihirli Cüceler Rüyalar Ülkesinde | 1972: Journey Back to Oz | 1975: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz | 1976: The Wizard of Oz | 1976: Oz | 1978: The Wiz | 1981: The Marvelous Land of Oz | 1982: The Wizard of Oz | 1984: Os Trapalhões e o Mágico de Oróz | 1985: Return to Oz | 1986: Ozu no Mahōtsukai : 1987: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz | Ozma of Oz | The Marvelous Land of Oz | The Emerald City of Oz | 1990: Supēsu Ozu no Bōken : 1996: The Wonderful Galaxy of Oz | 2005: The Muppets' Wizard of Oz | The Patchwork Girl of Oz)

Wicked
(The books | The musical)
In other languages