Title of the work
Country of the First Edition
Country/countries of popularity
Original Language
First Edition Date
First Edition Details
Cari Meister, Pandora’s Vase. London: Raintree, 2012, 32 pp.
ISBN
Genre
Illustrated works
Myths
Picture books
Target Audience
Children (Children 8–10 years)
Cover
Picture courtesy of Cari Meister from her personal website (accessed: July 30, 2018).
Author of the Entry:
Allison Rosenblum, Bar-Ilan University, allie.rose89@gmail.com
Peer-reviewer of the Entry:
Lisa Maurice, Bar-Ilan University, lisa.maurice@biu.ac.il
Elżbieta Olechowska, University of Warsaw, elzbieta.olechowska@gmail.com
McLean Kendree (Illustrator)
McLean Kendree is a concept artist and illustrator for Massive Black. He also teaches digital painting at the California College of the Arts. THQ, Hasbro, and 38 Studios are just a few of the places he’s worked.
Sources:
Official website (accessed: June 28, 2018).
Blog (accessed: June 28, 2018).
Bio prepared by Allison Rosenblum, Bar-Ilan University, allie.rose89@gmail.com
Photo courtesy of Cari Meister and Steve Henke from her official website (accessed: June 26, 2018).
Cari Meister (Author)
Cari Meister studied at Clark University and currently lives in Minnetrista, Minnesota. Her book Airplane Adventure was named “Parents” magazine Best Book of 2010.
Sources:
Official website (accessed: June 26, 2018).
Profile on Caprstone's website (accessed: June 26, 2018).
Profile on amazon.com (accessed: 08.08.2022).
Bio prepared by Allison Rosenblum, Bar-Ilan University, allie.rose89@gmail.com
Summary
A retelling of the story of Pandora’s vase is accompanied by illustrations. It includes a cast of characters and glossary page of important words. It begins with a bit of background about the Olympians fighting the Titans and winning, continuing with how, after the war, Zeus had Prometheus and Epimetheus create animals and men to populate earth. Prometheus then stole fire from Olympus to keep the men warm. Zeus, in response, said that Prometheus and mankind would suffer. He then bound Prometheus to a rock and had a bird come and eat his liver every day.
Zeus also had Hephaestus create the first woman in order to punish mankind. He had the gods give her gifts and named her "Pandora", which means "all gifts". Hermes was ordered to take her to Epimetheus, and they wed. As a present, Zeus sent them a vase, commanding them never to open it. Pandora found it very hard to obey. She cried to a nymph about being so curious. The nymph tried to distract Pandora with changing the color of the flowers around them, but Pandora couldn’t stop thinking about the vase. She decided to go to the market and open other vases, hoping it would distract her and fulfil her need to open the vase from Zeus. She found them all so dull compared to the vase at home. The merchant showed her a small vase from his Eastern travels. She bought it because it was similar to the vase from Zeus, and had a lovely smell, but as soon as she walked into the house she was re-enchanted by the original vase and couldn’t prevent herself from opening it. A huge wind escaped from the vase along with many evils, but hope remained behind.
Analysis
This story is a basic retelling of Pandora’s myth and does not give an alternate excuse for the vase being opened. Pandora’s curiosity gets the best of her in this version. She can’t stop thinking about the vase Zeus had entrusted to her, and though she tried to find ways to distract herself, her curiosity wins out.
It is essentially a faithful recounting of the myth. What makes it different from the original is the story’s focus on Pandora’s experience with the vase and the emphasis on how hard she tried not to open it.
