How does Albert Camus use the Greek legend of Sisyphus in The Myth of Sisyphus?

In his philosophical essay The Myth of Sisyphus, Albert Camus utilizes the Greek legend of Sisyphus—who is condemned to eternally roll a boulder up a hill only for it to roll back down—as a powerful metaphor for the human condition.1

Camus argues that life is inherently meaningless, yet humans possess an innate drive to seek order and answers in an indifferent universe, a conflict he defines as the absurd. Rather than succumbing to nihilism or suicide, Camus posits that the individual must first accept this absurdity.1

By choosing to persist and finding joy in the struggle of rolling the boulder, the individual engages in an act of rebellion. Camus concludes that through this joyful acceptance of a seemingly futile task, one gains personal definition and identity, ultimately becoming the master of their own existence.1