The plot of this story is the struggle that Pandora endures to monitor her curiosity of the contents of a box Zeus gave to her. Pandora was given the gifts of beauty, musical talent, the craft of weaving, and curiosity (not always a good quality).

The problem that emerges throughout the story is the curiosity of Pandora to find out what is in the golden box; the box that Zeus explicitly told her not to open for any reason. Pandora becomes obsessed with the box; dreaming and hearing it call to her to open it. Pandora’s husband often reminds her that Zeus told her not to open the box and suggests that she remove the box from the house. She attempts to do this by first burying it in a cave and then placing it in a jar that goes into a larger box that is lowered into a dried up well. None of these attempts to rid her of the golden box from view can contain her curiosity to seek out its contents. She relinquishes to the curiosity and opens the box feeling regret soon afterwards.

In the notes at the end of the story, I find that Pandora and her box were sent to Earth to punish man for excepting fire from Prometheus (who stole it from the gods of Mount Olympus) who is the brother of Pandora’s husband, Epimetheus. ( )