What was the original German title of Frank Wedekind’s 1904 play later known in English as Pandora’s Box?

The original German title of Frank Wedekind’s 1904 play later known in English as Pandora’s Box was Die Büchse der Pandora. The title literally means “Pandora’s Box” in German.

The play is the second part of Wedekind’s Lulu drama. It follows Erdgeist, or Earth Spirit, which introduced the character Lulu and established the relationships that drive the larger tragedy. Together, the two plays are commonly called the Lulu plays.

Wedekind’s work challenged late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century social conventions by presenting Lulu as a sexually independent and morally unsettling figure. Her relationships expose the double standards of the society around her, while the plays’ frankness contributed to their controversial reputation.

The title can be confused with Erdgeist because both works belong to the same dramatic cycle and are frequently discussed together. The specific title Die Büchse der Pandora identifies the second play, not the first.