Just a random question to keep my mind occupied while I try to resist eating all the candy I bought to hand out on Halloween:

Do you guys think there's intentional subtext between Elphaba and Glinda in the musical?

Yes, I know that Gregory McGuire meant them to be subconsciously attracted to each other, I've read that Idina Menzel has said similar things, and I know that some fangirls swear by the idea, but I've never gotten that vibe from the musical at all. Then again, I'm naive and only a semi-fan of the musical.

What do you people think? Is there slashy in the musical or not?

From the musical (which is the only thing I've seen), I don't think there is any subtext.

Maybe it's because I don't think or imagine girls should be together in that way though. (:P)

If they were two guys though there would be subtext. I definitely think there are some vibes coming off BOQ and FiYERO...maybe the Wizard and Fiyero too. (I also speculate that Morrible is a man in drag).

Personally I don't think there is any subtext in the musical, but I'm probably just too naive to see it.
The book I'm not sure about. To be honest I don't see any subtext there either; just a strong friendship.

Maybe subtext was intended but if so it didn't work, in my opinion.

There was that scene in the novel where Glinda randomly faints in Elphaba's arms after they and Nessa have the "meeting" with Morrible (this scene baffles me completely, as I am not entirely sure what Morrible did to them to make them "faint"). There is definitely some slash there. There's also Maguire's rather annoying hinting (he hints at EVERYTHING, never openly aknowledges/proves or disproves it) that Glinda may be gay (she has legions of female servants, she married an old fart who's no good in bed)-it just gives off the gay vibe even if it's not really proof. It's hard to explain, but it gets my gaydar going so to speak (even if it is rather limited in its abilities XD).

No in the musical, yes in the book.

Being a big Elphaba/Fiyero shipper, this can be a sore subject for me. But here's my two cents...

In the book, I do agree that Glinda had some unresolved lesbian feelings. There are a few passages that hint to this (such as, I believe, right after she leaves Elphaba in the Emerald City and is on the train home, if memory serves), but Glinda, being Glinda, is too into making appearances and doing things the "normal" way, that she would never admit these kinds of thoughts to herself or indeed realize the extent of them. Also, we've never really seen her have a very intimate relationship with any man in the book. Of course, her reason for blowing off Boq can be attributed to status, as well as her reason for choosing to marry Sir Chuffrey, but nevertheless, the issue remains there. Perhaps she isn't completely lesbian (if we consider the amount of homosexuality we have on a spectrum), but she isn't completely straight, either.

HOWEVER, I think Elphaba in the book is straight. While we can debate Fiyero's feelings for her, I don't think she would have ever been as devastated by his death or morphed into the cynical, bitter "Wicked Witch of the West" we know, if she hadn't truly loved Fiyero. Perhaps a lot of their relationship was based on their physical side, but I absolutely think Elphaba came to care for him (and had, perhaps, for all we know, since Shiz). It's this cool point of irony if we believe my theory that in the book Elphaba, the "Wicked" Witch of the West, is something more "accepted" in society, whereas Glinda the "Good" Witch, who tries so hard to cover expectations, might not be (and obviously, I am completely pro-gay, so I hate that straights get less abuse than gays do).

In the musical, however, I completely think that both Elphaba and Glinda are straight and that it is purely about their friendship. Glinda seems very into Fiyero; likewise, Elphaba is, too (how else would we analyze I'm Not That Girl?!). I think that strong friendship is something grossly underrated, and I wish that we as a whole were able to accept the theme of friendship without romanticizing it. I have many friends in my life who I "love" even if not in that way. If we want to see lesbian relationships, then we have Joanne and Maureen. But I really do think it's important to recognize that friendship can come in all forms-girl/girl, guy/girl, and even a girl/guy or two gay girls/girls or guys/guys without it being romantic.

Going back to the book, though, one of the points of the book is that there are more questions posed in the book than answers. So, even though you could debate that Glinda could be a lesbian, you could also debate that Glinda and Fiyero were actually having an affair behind Elphaba's back, that Elphaba truly didn't have a soul, that who knows, Liir WASN'T Elphaba's son (not that that makes sense with Son of a Witch, but you could debate it), that Turtle Heart was Nessarose's father (pretty easy to conclude to, if you're knowledgeable about Quadlings), that Elphaba actually took to being promiscuous before Fiyero and she began their love affair, etc. It's interesting to think about, but I think the true enchantment that makes Wicked such an amazing and inquisitive novel IS the fact that not everything in written in black and white or answered easily...just, for that matter, like the whole question of the nature of evil to begin with.

Haha, I sound very obsessive there, don't I? Well, anyway, that was just my two cents, even though, like I said, I don't think there IS an answer (in the book, at least) one way or another.

I've never read the book, but I don't see any slashy subtext at all in the musical. The idea though is an..."interesting" one. Heh.

Glad I'm not the only one who has thought about this!
I think in the musical it's just very strong friendship. I'm usually the first to find subtext but I saw nothing in Wicked.
In the book? Well I'm undecided. I haven't read the book in months so can't give reference points but I definately remember thinking Glinda might have had some unresolved semi homosexual feelings. I don't think Elphaba was anything but straight tbh, considering her heartbreak after Fiyero died.
I love Elphaba and Fiyero so I'm not inclined to think Elphaba is a closet lesbian lol

I've read the book and seen the musical live, and I've never gotten that vibe from either.

I agree.

Personally, the story of Elphaba and Glinda would be ruined if they were lesbians. It would ruin the storyline by making Fiyero a useless fight between them only to take up space in the story.

In the book, Glinda's the only one who's potentially gay. And that actually kinda works. Elphaba being gay-not so much.

In terms of the musical, Kendra Kassebaum probably came the closest to it in her Popular with her horny kid on crack act (when she played the part alongside Julia Murney)...there was defintiely something lesbian going on there...

I've never read the book, so i can't say anything for that...
When I saw the musical, I just saw it as two really good friends. However, I did see videos of Kendra on youtube and she was like the David Thaxton version of Glinda.

I personally don't like this pairing at all. I don't think innocent friendship should be confused with slash. Unless of course hot frenchboys in vests are involved, but Wicked seems to lack that.