Published: Apr 25, 2026written by Simon Lea, PhD Philosophy Summary Sisyphus finds happiness during his descent down the mountain, a reflective period where his time and mind are his own. Camus uses myth to express truths about human dignity and the condition of life that logic alone cannot capture. True happiness stems from the ability to create meaning within an existence that lacks any inherent or imposed purpose. Camus’s unique version of the myth emphasizes personal reflection over the physical pain and frustration of eternal, meaningless punishment. Show more   Albert Camus ends The Myth of Sisyphus with: “One must imagine Sisyphus happy.” This line confuses many readers of Camus’s text. Within the secondary literature we find scholars questioning how it is possible to imagine as happy this tragic figure, condemned to an eternal and meaningless punishment. The confusion arises from taking the final section of Camus’s essay as an allegory. In fact, Camus is offering a myth. When we treat myth as myth we can begin to imagine Sisyphus happy.   Camus’ The Myth …