Analysis of the Music in The Wizard of Oz

The 1939 film The Wizard of Oz is highly acclaimed because of its vibrant rendition in the art of storytelling and memorable characters. However, while the plot and visual elements of the film are noteworthy, the soundtrack of the film is a primary feature that contributes to the film’s acclaim in popular culture. Musical orchestration accompanies the majority of the scenes in the film and serves a critical role in developing the story presented in the film. The use of music to establish setting, enhance characterization, and underscore the theme of the film makes the examination of the music in The Wizard of Oz an integral part of analyzing the message conveyed by the film.

Plot Synopsis

The Wizard of Oz, directed by Victor Fleming, chronicles the adventure of Dorothy, a Kansas farm girl who is living with her legal custodians, Aunt Em and Uncle Henry. In the opening scene of the film, it is revealed that Dorothy is an imaginative girl who is dissatisfied with the routines and rules around the farm. Her conflict with her environment erupts when Miss Gulch, a wealthy and politically powerful community resident, becomes frustrated that Dorothy’s dog Toto ruined her flower bed and bit her. Dorothy protests when Miss Gulch reveals her intentions to take Toto to a shelter, citing an ordinance that justifies this action. However, before Toto can be transported to the shelter, he escapes from the basket that Miss Gulch places him in and escapes back to the farm to greet Dorothy.

In the following scenes, a tornado emerges and sweeps away the farmhouse where Dorothy resides. Dorothy is transported to Munchkin Land where she learns that her farmhouse has landed on the Wicked Witch of the East. After the munchkins praise Dorothy for killing the Wicked Witch of the East, the witches surviving sister, the Wicked Witch of the West arrives in Munchkin Land and expresses her desire to seek revenge against Dorothy. Further, a pair of magical ruby red slippers magically transfers from the deceased witch’s feet to Dorothy’s feet. This strengthens the Wicked Witch of the West’s vows to follow Dorothy.

The remaining scenes of the film chronicle Dorothy’s journey to find the Wizard of Oz, whom she believes possesses the power to help her return home to Kansas. Along the journey, Dorothy encounters new friends, including the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion, who also wish to seek the counsel of the Wizard of Oz to remedy their defective natures. On their way to the Emerald City where the wizard resides, Dorothy has a final encounter where she kills the Wicked Witch of the West by melting her with a bucket of water. Next, the group encounters the Wizard of Oz, where they learn that the wizard is an ordinary human who possesses no superhuman powers. After the wizard fails to return Dorothy home, she finds that she can return home by clicking together her red slippers. Upon returning home, Dorothy apologized for the trouble that she has caused and decides, “there is no place like home ” (Fleming).

The plot just provides a skeletal outline for the film. Inherent in the plot are the themes of bravely facing challenges in life and accepting the responsibilities of adulthood. Dorothy’s inability to control the activities of her dog Toto and be perceptive to the environment in which she lives signify her inability to recognize the needs of others around her. However, the narrative and themes are not established merely by dialogue in the film. Rather, the careful selection of music highlights the setting and conveys the messages that the film attempts to impart upon the viewer.

Musical Analysis

In the musical genre, the Wizard of Oz, the first function of the score is to establish the setting of the film. The music connects the viewer to the scenes by establishing the setting that Dorothy finds herself in as well as conveying the mood of each setting. In the opening scene, music is used to introduce the viewer to the farm where Dorothy lives and reveal Dorothy’s attitudes toward her environment. Following the music in the opening credits, the opening scene of the film is silent in contrast. There is no orchestration in the background, and dialogue is utilized to introduce the viewer to Dorothy’s environment. The tones of her uncle and the farmworkers who encounter Dorothy are abrupt and often harsh because her activities interfere with their work. Further, the black and white imagery in the opening scenes conveys that the setting is mundane. Thus, the absence of orchestration at the farm in combination with the black and white scenery reveals Dorothy’s dissatisfaction with the Kansas farm.

In contrast, the music in Munchkin Land serves to characterize the setting as a place of enchantment and convey Dorothy’s approval of her settings. What is notable about Dorothy’s arrival to Munchkin Land is that she finds herself in a situation that is more perilous than the situation that is in the opening scene. She has just killed the Wicked Witch of the East, and she has been swept away to an unfamiliar place by a tornado. Yet, the merry Munchkin Land melody that is sung upon her arrival provides an upbeat sound that conveys an upbeat and cheerful setting. As Dorothy travels across Oz, the upbeat tunes “Follow the Yellow Brick Road” and “Off to See the Wizard” are featured in correspondence with Dorothy’s skipping movements. However, when encountering a dark, enchanted forest, the tempo to the melody “Off to See the Wizard” slows down to convey caution and express the fears that this uncertain environment induces. Through these examples, music is used to successfully invoke mood in order to accurately describe the settings of the film.

Next, music is used to enhance characterization throughout the film. While the actions of the characters provide some clues to the attributes of the characters, music is used to fully depict the personality of the characters. In the opening scene, Dorothy sings the song “Over the Rainbow” after she is scolded for disrupting affairs on the Kansas farm. This song reveals Dorothy’s imaginative nature and her desire to escape the reality that surrounds her. Further, the menacing, fast tempo score that accompanies Miss Gulch establishes her role as an antagonist in the film. This same soundtrack is applied to the Wicked Witch of the East when Dorothy is transported to Oz during the tornado. Additionally, the character flaws of the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion are expressed through songs that reveal that the characters are respectively lacking a brain, a heart, and courage. Through music, the film reviews the defects that each character must overcome.

Finally, the musical score serves the role of presenting the themes in the film. The repetition of musical tracks conveys the messages that are emphasized in the film. First, the film expresses the point that individuals must possess courage in order to face the challenges that await them in life. The dominance of this theme is established by the repetition of songs by the Cowardly Lion discussing the importance of courage. First, the Cowardly Lion is granted an introductory melody where he discusses his lack of courage. However, the Cowardly Lion receives several additional opportunities to underscore the importance of possessing courage. In an additional song, the Lion expresses the desire to be king of the forest, and in a following song he sings a song about the importance of courage. The repetition of the theme of courage through song conveys its centrality as a theme in the film.

Additionally, the tension between escaping reality and facing reality is established through the musical selections of the film. The song “Over the Rainbow” is presented in contrast with Dorothy’s mundane surroundings in order to illustrate Dorothy’s conflicts with reality. Initially, the Land of Oz represents a departure from reality for Dorothy. Though the death of the Wicked Witch of the East is a serious matter, the celebratory songs of the munchkins conceal the serious challenge that Dorothy will face when the Wicked Witch of the West holds her accountable for the death of her sister. Further, the celebratory cheers of the munchkins contrast with Kansas where Aunt Em is too tactful to direct harsh comments towards Miss Gulch. Clearly, the rules that govern the Land of Oz are separate from the rules in the real world.

Yet, even though the Land of Oz represents the whims of Dorothy’s imagination, there are several challenges that force her to face concrete problems. In her trip through Oz, the cheerful melody that accompanies her journey is disrupted by tense orchestrations, which force the viewer to consider the perils that Dorothy faces. Thus, the contrasts between the tones of music demonstrate Dorothy’s challenge to overcome her tendencies of escapism in order to recognize the realities she must face.

In order to fully understand the themes conveyed in The Wizard of Oz, it is important to analyze the musical selections that are presented in the theme. The orchestrations and songs featured in the film greatly enrich the plot by illustrating the settings, enhancing the characters of the story, and underscoring the themes of the film. Further, the music selection engages the viewer by enabling them to understand the mood of the settings and the conflicts that are present throughout the story. Ultimately, the music in The Wizard of Oz enriches the meaning expressed by the film by transforming Dorothy’s adventure into a quest to overcome her fears and face the realities presented by adulthood.

Work Cited

Wizard of Oz. Dir. Victor Fleming. Perf. Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger. MGM/UA, 1939. DVD.