Question

Read the myth and analyze the image below; then, answer the question that follows. Woman was not yet made. The story (absurd enough!) is that Jupiter made her, and sent her to Prometheus and his brother, to punish them for their presumption in stealing fire from heaven; and man, for accepting the gift. The first woman was named Pandora. She was made in heaven, every god contributing something to perfect her. Venus gave her beauty, Mercury persuasion, Apollo music, etc. Thus equipped, she was conveyed to earth, and presented to Epimetheus, who gladly accepted her, though cautioned by his brother to beware of Jupiter and his gifts. Epimetheus had in his house a jar, in which were kept certain noxious articles, for which, in fitting man for his new abode, he had had no occasion. Pandora was seized with an eager curiosity to know what this jar contained; and one day she slipped off the cover and looked in. Forthwith there escaped a multitude of plagues for hapless man,—such as gout, rheumatism, and colic for his body, and envy, spite, and revenge for his mind,—and scattered themselves far and wide. Pandora hastened to replace the lid! but, alas! the whole contents of the jar had escaped, one thing only excepted, which lay at the bottom, and that was hope. So we see at this day, whatever evils are abroad, hope never entirely leaves us; and while we have that, no amount of other ills can make us completely wretched. Source: Bulfinch, Thomas. "Prometheus and Pandora." Bartleby.com. Bartleby.com, 2011. Web. 7 Mar. 2011. / Waterhouse, John W. Pandora. 1896. Private Collection. Wikimedia Commons. Wikimedia, Inc., June 2010. Web. 8 Mar. 2011. How does knowing the story of Pandora enrich the viewer's experience and understanding of this painting? Knowing the backstory allows the viewer to relax and enjoy the painting for itself. It doesn't add anything to your understanding of the painting. It helps the viewer appreciate the painter's technique more. If you know the story, you realize that what she is about to release are all the evils of the world.

Answer 1

Answer: If you know the story, you realize that what she is about to release are all the evils of the world.

Explanation: The painting "Pandora (Waterhouse)" by John W. portraits a woman kneeling in a dark forest and she is about to open a box, in her face she expresses curiosity. By knowing the story of Pandora, we can understand what is really happening in the painting, she, moved by her curiosity of what was in the jar, is about to release all the evils and sickness of the world, leaving just hope inside the jar.

Answer 2

Answer:

If you know the story, you realize that what she is about to release are all the evils of the world is the correct answer.

Explanation:

Both the myth written in the question and the painting by John William Waterhouse are related through a concept that in semiotics is called hypertext. First, it is necessary to state that according to postmodernism, many things can be understood as texts as long as they can be read or interpreted: in this case, we have one (which is the myth) and the painting itself works as the other one. So, the hypertext refers to a text that alludes to a previous one (which is the hypotext.) In this question, the myth (which is obviously previous to the painting) works as the hypotext since Waterhouse's painting is the hypertext that alludes the myth. If the observer did not know anything about Pandora, he could not realize what is going to happen and even the name of the work might mean nothing.