The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber by Ernest Hemingway Short Essay

p The three characters in Hemingway 's The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber form a triangle in which the relationships are not clear from the beginning . The plot of the short story is not very complicated during a safari , the rich and handsome Francis Macomber proves to be a coward when he runs off scared while hunting the lion he had wounded In fact , the attribute of `coward ' is given to him , indirectly , by his wife Margot and by Wilson , the hunter who accompanies them on the expedition . The whole story thus

revolves around the killing of the lion , an act which seems to be the ultimate proof of manhood , and , which constitutes therefore a great attraction to women . The setting and the context of the story- the safari in the wilderness of Africa- seem to determine also the plot : Hemingway chooses for his characters two Americans with a great wealth and social stand , who are supposed to be very civilized , and exposes in fact their instinctual behavior , which seems to have kept its wild nature . Francis Macomber and Robert Wilson `fight , by proving their courage in the hunt , for the `female ' who will instinctually choose the stronger of the two . The fact that the behavior of wild animals and that of humans have a common pattern is emphasized by Hemingway careful notation of the lion 's `feelings ' while he is being hunted by the two men . Thus , a clear connection is established between men and the wild animals

Macomber had not thought how the lion felt as he got out of the car He only knew his hands were shaking and as he walked away from the car it was almost impossible for him to make his legs move (Hemingway , 8

Thus , after Macomber 's failure in the hunt of the lion , Margot kisses the `winner , Wilson , and completely ignores her husband , and her behavior seems to be the exact pattern of the creatures in the wilderness . Furthermore , the very night after Macomber 's defeat , she goes to bed with Wilson , without even trying to dissimulate in front of her husband . The courage to kill and to face death is taken here as the main criteria for manhood : Fear gone like an operation . Something else grew in its place . Main thing a man had . Made him into a man . Women knew it too . No bloody fear (Hemingway , 12 ) The marriage between Francis and Margot had been nothing more than a profitable business affair , him having the money and she the beauty . As it is hinted , these interests are the only things that kept them together still . Both of them seem to be sure these ties are strong enough to secure against a break-up However , after having found out about his wife 's betrayal , Macomber 's instinctive nature seems to be awakened : he discovers the exhilaration that the hunt and the killings produce in him , and his fear is completely gone . Still , Margot is not d by her husband 's...