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Turtle Heart
Doctor Dillamond is a Professor of Biological Arts at Shiz University and a Goat—an Ozian “Animal” with the ability to think and speak like a human. He dedicates himself to researching the true origins of Animals and animals alike, hoping to prove they are fundamentally the same and that the Wizard’s oppressive regime is both immoral and unlawful. He first meets Galinda on the train to Shiz, where he questions her about the Wizard’s recent Animal Banns, which prohibit Animals from using public transportation. At Shiz, he becomes Elphaba’s mentor, as she is drawn to his intelligence and moral conviction. But Dillamond’s investigations bring him under surveillance, and he is ultimately murdered by Grommetik at Madame Morrible’s behest. His death catalyzes Elphaba’s radicalism and solidifies her hatred of the Wizard. Even Galinda is affected by his loss, adopting the name “Glinda” after Dillamond’s habitual mispronunciation in a quiet gesture of remembrance. Though he dies early in the novel, Dillamond’s murder represents a turning point, showing Elphaba the lengths those in power will go to maintain control, order, and the status quo.
Doctor Dillamond Quotes in Wicked
The Wicked quotes below are all either spoken by Doctor Dillamond or refer to Doctor Dillamond. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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9. Galinda Quotes
Animals should be seen and not heard.
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When Madame Morrible hosts a poetry reading at Shiz, she’s merely using it as an excuse to spread the Wizard’s propaganda and indoctrinate students against Animals. One of the poems she reads aloud ends with this line, which is meant as a clever twist on an old saying (“Children should be seen and not heard”). But it is dehumanizing, as it reduces thinking, speaking Animals to the status of voiceless creatures. That Morrible recites these words at Shiz, where Animal professors like Doctor Dillamond are present, shows just how brazenly she wields the Wizard’s authority. She knows she’s insulated by Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laboriosam. Eum accusamus harum. Accusantium iusto voluptas. Totam quae corporis. Impedi
11. The Charmed Circle Quotes
“And the drought, after a few promising reprieves, continues unabated. The Animals are recalled to the lands of their ancestors, a ploy to give the farmers a sense of control over something anyway. It’s a systematic marginalizing of populations, Glinda, that’s what the Wizard’s all about.”
“We were talking about your childhood,” said Glinda.
“[...] You can’t divorce your particulars from politics.”
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When Elphaba recalls her childhood in Quadling Country with Glinda, her memories quickly turn into an indictment of the Wizard’s regime. She points out how droughts and forced resettlement have been used as tools of his control, with Quadlings and Animals systematically pushed aside so the Wizard could exploit their land, resources, and labor. For Elphaba, it is impossible to separate her politics from personal experience, and her point here is that nothing the Wizard has ever done was for the greater good. She’s witnessed injustice firsthand since her childhood—the oppression of marginalized groups in the name of “progress.” With Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laboriosam. Eum accusamus harum. Accusantium iusto voluptas. Totam quae corporis. Impedit non ut. Incidunt rerum est. Aperiam doloremque eum. Animi
“If not immoral, then what word can I use to imply wrong?” said Elphaba.
“Try mysterious and then relax a little. The thing is, my green girlie, it is not for a girl, or a student, or a citizen to assess what is wrong. This is the job of leaders, and why we exist.”
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When Elphaba and Glinda travel to the Emerald City to meet the Wizard in person and confront him with Doctor Dillamond’s research, they’re met with outright condescension and scorn. In a plea to convince him to see reason, Elphaba calls the Wizard’s oppression of Animals “immoral,” but the Wizard claims he doesn’t care at all about morality. What matters to him is his own perceived genius—his air of “mystery” and the authority that comes with it. He refuses to take seriously the claims of either a young woman or a Goat professor, dismissing Dillamond’s work outright because it comes from Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea.
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Doctor Dillamond Character Timeline in Wicked
The timeline below shows where the character Doctor Dillamond appears in Wicked. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
9. Galinda
...Shiz University, 17-year-old Galinda from rural Gillikin is relieved that her compartment companion—a Goat, Doctor Dillamond—is asleep, sparing her from having to speak to the Animal. Her guardian, Ama Clutch, was...
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...Elephants, Tigers, and Goats walk the streets, talking freely with humans and each other. Doctor Dillamond helps her flag down a carriage to Crage Hall before saying goodbye, somewhat ominously promising...
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...One poem ends with the line, “Animals should be seen and not heard,” infuriating Doctor Dillamond and other Animal professors in attendance. Elphaba mutters to Galinda that the poem is offensive,...
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...embarrassed and offended, insists she doesn’t remember him and abruptly leaves. Later, in class, Doctor Dillamond announces that the Wizard has officially passed the Animal Mobility Banns, which will severely restrict...
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10. Boq
...Pfannee’s summer house with Shenshen, while Elphaba will remain on campus to work for Doctor Dillamond. Boq is pleasantly surprised—he admires Dillamond’s work and has always hoped to meet him.
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...talk, Elphaba shares that her mother died in childbirth and explains the research she’s helping Dillamond with: he’s working to prove that there’s no scientific difference between Animal and human tissue,...
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...in one image. He shows it to Elphaba, who decides to take it to Doctor Dillamond, excited by his recent “breakthroughs” on the similarities between Animals and humans. She also tells...
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...incredible pain when exposed to water). When Boq asks what happened, they explain that Doctor Dillamond was found dead in his lab, his throat slit. The night before, Ama Clutch had...
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11. The Charmed Circle
Though Doctor Dillamond’s death is officially ruled an accident, everyone knows he was murdered. In the days that...
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Elphaba and Boq sit next to each other in Doctor Nikidik’s class, Dillamond’s replacement. Boq wonders if Dillamond left behind important notes before his death, and Elphaba reveals...
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...briefly brings Ama Clutch back to reality, and Ama Clutch reveals she saw Grommetik slit Dillamond’s throat that night—this is what she glimpsed from the window. She asks Glinda to hold...
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...sends Nanny and Grommetik away, then asks the girls if Ama Clutch said anything about Dillamond’s death in her final moments. Morrible claims she sent Grommetik to Dillamond’s lab that night...
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Elphaba presents Doctor Dillamond’s breakthrough research, but the Wizard mocks it as “derivative, specious garbage.” When she begs him...
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12. City of Emeralds
...Ko, then asks where she’s been all these years. Elphaba explains she left Shiz after Dillamond’s death, angered by how little anyone cared, and she’s been living underground ever since. Fiyero...
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14. The Jasper Gates of Kiamo Ko
...“spirit,” but he only manages “spit,” delighting Elphaba. To her, this is proof of Doctor Dillamond’s research-backed theory: there’s no true difference between humans and Animals. Later, while ice skating with...
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16. The Murder and Its Afterlife
Boq recalls their time working for Doctor Dillamond and says he and Milla to this day refuse to own Animals because of it....
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...pain, begins to die, she sees figures from her past—Melena, Nessa, Frex, Boq, Glinda, Doctor Dillamond, Madame Morrible, Fiyero, the Wizard, Yackle—before everything fades away.
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