Three main characters in the short story “The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber” are Francis and Margaret Macomber, married couple, coming from America on safari, and their “white“ guide, Robert Wilson.

Francis had two motives to come to safari. The first one is to try out in a new thing (safari was, probably, fashionable for the high classes of that time). The second motive is the promise of his wife, that she will never repeat her infidelity, if they take that vacation. He obviously loves his wife, but, in the same time, he is aware of the fact that she doesn’t love him. Francis thinks that the only reason for Margaret’s staying in that marriage is the wealth he possesses. He formulates that explicitly: ‘Margot was too beautiful for Macomber to divorce her and Macomber had too much money for Margot ever to leave him.’

Yet, with this statement, Francis was just half-right. Margaret is still with him not only because she is in the age when she can not find a suitable (read, equally wealthy) match, but because she has a full control over him. She is the one who decides what is to be done, what is appropriate, her adultery is allowed (reproached, but no consequences are produced). Francis is a weakling. He proves it distinctively when he runs away from wounded lion, leaving Wilson and others to deal with the problem; when he does not react to Wilson’s insults; and, finally, when he tiffs after his wife’s latest infidelity.

Then, in the second day of hunting, we see the change in Francis Macomber. In shooting at buffalo, he doesn’t show any more signs of weakness, he is bold and strong. He is eagerly waiting to go after a wounded buffalo. He is fearless, and there is no more a flick of the immature boy from yesterday. This change is first spotted by Wilson. Wilson is experienced hunter and a very good amateur psychologist. All the time, he observes the relationship between two of them and valorises their personalities. He is, in the story, like an independent observer who shows us what is really going on, not what is only Francis’ imagination. He sees the change in Macomber, and he approves it.
Margaret notices this new Francis too, and Wilson reports her feelings: ‘…, but her contempt was not secure. She was very afraid of something.’ Was she really so unhappy because of the change? I think she was insecure. The very idea of a new ‘unreliably strong’ Francis, due to its newness, caused the lack of feeling of stability in her life.

Having this in mind, I tend to think that she didn’t kill her husband on purpose, that it was an accident. With the time, she would get to know this new characteristic of Francis’ personality, and the main reason for her impious attitude toward him would disappear.