Paradise Lost/Pandora's Box

Toward the middle and end of Book XI, the scene where Michael is showing Adam all of the things that have been unleashed due to their sin reminded me greatly of the Greek myth of Pandora’s Box. Michael shows Adam (and Eve in a dream) how the world will no longer always be beautiful, and there will be more than just good. Because of their sin, God’s wrath will be unleashed on the world. Michael explains death and despair and the other awful things that will now be part of their once perfect world. Adam is shown all of the awful things that will now be in the world they live in. However, before Adam and Eve have to leave the garden, Adam tells the angel that he feels their temptation was a good thing. This allows God to be greater than before

In the Greek myth of Pandora, a young woman was created after Prometheus stole fire from Olympus. Pandora was the first woman, and meant to be a punishment for mankind. She was given a jar filled with several gifts from the Gods, but told to keep it closed. However, Pandora was given the gift of curiosity, which tempted her to open it. When she finally did, all things evil, including diseases and hard labor were released. She was able to close it, leaving only one thing left inside the box; Hope.

When Adam says temptation was a good thing because God will be shown as greater than ever before, it is very similar to the bottom of Pandora’s Box, where hope comes from. It seems to me that Adam, after being shown all things evil, finally finds hope that everything will be alright again; that mankind will be saved. The last thing that was in Pandora’s Box was Hope. This was what made all of the evils in life bearable.