Pandora was the woman who opened the container holding the world's evils in Greek mythology.
Hesiod presents Pandora as the first woman, created by the gods after Prometheus gave fire to humanity. Zeus wanted a punishment for humans, especially because Prometheus had deceived him and stolen fire. Different gods contributed qualities or gifts, and Hermes gave Pandora a misleading mind and speech.
The familiar English expression “Pandora's box” comes from a translation tradition. Hesiod actually describes a large storage jar, called a pithos, rather than a small box. When Pandora opened it, troubles escaped into the human world, while hope remained inside until she closed the vessel.
Pandora is therefore not simply a villain in the ancient story. Her arrival explains why suffering exists alongside human life, and the myth also reflects Greek ideas about divine punishment, curiosity, and the fragile boundary between gods and mortals.