These are interesting names for two women history does not remember fondly. Pandora (all gifted/giving) and Eve (source of life) are both created to be the first mortal woman. It is an interesting parallel that is drawn here, between pagan and christian beliefs. One of many, but the rest are better left for another day.
So, how did the first incarnation of woman become such an unsavory character?
It is an interesting philosophical debate. Did Pandora unleash evils upon the world, or did she relinquish the blessings back to the gods? Did Eve condemn Adam with the curse of knowledge? Or was this a fulfillment of a better life beyond anything Eden could have provided?
Perhaps the answer could be found in their names. 'All gifted/giving' seems to have quite positive imagery for an individual associated with releasing evil into the world. Without these evils, the gift of Hope would remain unknown. It would seem that feminine curiosity is working, inexplicably in the eyes of men, as a source of improvement. Similarly, one could make the point that without knowledge, a lifetime spent in Eden would be blissful for sure, albeit lacking a certain purpose. It would seem that the source of life wouldn't have been possible without first being exiled from the garden.
It would seem right that the Church would be spreading such propaganda about the danger of knowledge. I'm currently in a class called "Medieval Mystics and Heretics" and a quote from a recent paper I wrote helps to illuminate this point: "The biggest threat to the Church was, at its simplest, the spread of ideas. The concern was centered around the lay people who wandered the countryside, preaching their beliefs and garnering large followings. The Church was worried that such a large undermining of the newly emerging traditional practices would become dangerous." (For more information on such wandering preachers, look up Waldes of Lyon and Robert of Arbrissel. The latter founded the Abbey of Fontevrault.) There were several other men who did the same, however in these early years not much was done in the form of physical punishment. Those who came later would not be as fortunate. Still, it was rare that the Church would acknowledge men like Robert of Arbrissel.
Pandora was created to be a torment to men, a communal project of the gods designed to punish Prometheus for stealing fire. She is given iniquitous traits; a deceitful nature and an untrustworthy mouth. The culmination of her personality is in her (one could say sinful) curiosity, fulfilling carefully laid plans, the real punishment for mankind. She is also the fount of womankind, designed to make sure her legacy lasts. The same can be said for Eve, however she is made from man to be his partner in Eden. Even so, Satan chooses Eve to corrupt rather than Adam, knowing that she is impressionable and will most likely be swayed by his words. It is interesting to note that while Eve comes from man, all of mankind after her will come from a woman.
In my opinion, the actions of both Eve and Pandora are validated by the events that follow them. While Eve may have gotten Adam and herself banished from Eden, they found knowledge. Immortality was taken from them, forcing man to live a life of purpose and to believe in his self-worth by working the land. Pandora may have released evil and plague into the world, but without those things we wouldn't know the importance of good. Hope is something that, as previously stated below, "Hope is able to sustain things much larger than itself. Its power is universal: persevere and salvation is attainable." I think the real lesson here is that the easier life isn't always the better one.
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