What is the symbolism behind Pandora's Box? The myth of Pandora is basically the story of a woman who is given a box by the gods, and told not to open it. Of course, she opens the box, and evil is released to the world. Is it possible that the box represents a womb? I think that makes a lot of sense, because it's a cavity with an opening, and things come out of it (that were never seen on earth before). The myth also is a commentary on gender, because it's a woman who releases evil to the world, and Pandora's husband is at fault only because he is stupid enough to marry her.

It is 100% supportable that the "box" represents the womb in Hesiod's version of the myth from his Theogony. In brief:

* In the Theogony, Hesiod never mentions any vessel save Pandora herself.

* Pandora is cast as the mother of the "race of women" who were created to vex men (i.e. they are the source of evil named by Hesiod in the Theogony.)

* In other versions of the myth, no "box" is mentioned, but instead a _pithou_ meaning "jar" for wine or oil. (If wine, it could represent blood, and oil is a lubricant.)

* The idea of woman as vessel is a major point in Apollo's notorious arguments in Orestes' defense in The Eumenides, demonstrating the existence of this concept in Ancient Greek thought.




You can find a more detailed explanation of this element of the myth here, as well as a discussion of the possible meaning in Aesop and Hesiod.