Who wrote the two German plays that inspired G. W. Pabst’s 1929 film Pandora’s Box?

Frank Wedekind wrote the two German plays that inspired G. W. Pabst’s 1929 film Pandora’s Box.

The source plays are Earth Spirit and Pandora’s Box, both centered on the character Lulu. Wedekind created Lulu as a provocative figure whose sexuality, social relationships, and refusal to fit conventional expectations drive the dramatic action. Pabst adapted material from both plays for the silent film.

The film’s title can suggest a direct adaptation of the ancient Greek myth, but Wedekind’s plays are modern dramas. Their connection to Pandora is chiefly thematic and titular: Lulu becomes a figure associated with fascination, danger, and consequences.

Wedekind was a German playwright, poet, and actor whose work challenged social conventions. His Lulu plays later influenced other artists, including Alban Berg, whose opera Lulu was based on Wedekind’s character and dramatic material.