Grimmerie

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The Grimmerie is a fictional book of spells found in Gregory Maguire's novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, as well as the Broadway musical Wicked (based on Maguire's novel). The Grimmerie is also the title of a behind-the-scenes book about the musical, published in 2005 (ISBN 1401308201).

[edit] The Novel

In the novel, Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West) discovers the Grimmerie locked in a chest in the attic of Kiamo Ko. When the Wizard of Oz discovers she has it in her possession, he is extremely keen on obtaining it from her, as he is apparently the only one who is able to read it. Elphaba tries to read the strange text with a lot of trouble, though at times she can randomly recognize words. It is later revealed that the Grimmerie is actually a book from Earth, hence the Wizard (who came from Earth) and Elphaba (who was actually the illegitimate daughter of the Wizard, and as such was half Ozian, half Earthling) being able to read it.

[edit] The Musical

In the musical, the Grimmerie is described by Madame Morrible as "The Ancient Book of Thaumaturgy and Enchantments," or as more simply put by the Wizard, "a recipe book for change." It is initially given to Elphaba by The Wizard in order to "prove herself" by making the monkey Chistery fly, and although the book is written in "the lost language of spells," Elphaba starts reciting its chants as if it were second nature.

Elphaba soon realizes that the Wizard is powerless and cannot read the book himself, and that was the real reason he needed her help. She steals the Grimmerie and uses it in her cause to liberate the animals of Oz. The Grimmerie is also responsible for helping Elphaba to enchant the shoes of her sister Nessarose into the ruby slippers, and to transform Boq into the Tin Woodman as well as Fiyero into the Scarecrow. In the song "For Good", Elphaba seems to surrender her cause, and gives the Grimmerie to Glinda in hopes that she will use it to continue what Elphaba has already done.