Pandora's Box Essay

Pandora’s Box is a myth that is centered on the idea of curiosity as well as the origin of the worlds suffering. The myth evolves over time to include seemingly sexual themes that are centered on women. A common pattern that emerges over time is that of possible stereotypes against women; being curious has negative effects, in turn implying that it is frowned upon for women to be curious. The story of Adam and Eve, paintings from John Waterhouse, and even the children’s book Be Patient Pandora, all support the negative connotation towards the curiosity of women. While some afterlives are quite clear as to their themes of curiosity, others, such as children’s books, provide a unique insight into possible flaws in the teaching of young boys and girls. If it is frowned upon for women to be curious, as
In analyzing the various versions of the myth, the main theme seemed to be that of negativity towards woman’s curious desires. This makes the omission of hope from latter versions even more interesting, as the reader is left with nearly no positive elements regarding the actions of Pandora. Thus, the reader’s perception of Pandora is trimmed down, so that all they see is the negative results of her selfishness and curiosity. This idea contributes to my argument of a building stereotype in our society in which a woman’s curiosity is frowned upon. The story of Adam and Eve serves as an afterlife of Pandora’s Box that supports the negative perception of a woman’s curiosity. In the Book of Genesis, Eve is created from Adam’s rib to accompany him in the Garden of Eden. God had instructed Adam not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The story culminates when Eve is deceived by a serpent, resulting in her taking fruit from the tree and sharing it with Adam. God is extremely upset and banishes humans from the Garden of Eden