Macbeth Natural Law

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Macbeth and Aristotle’s concept of Natural Law. In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, the concept of natural law is frequently introduced in the plot. According to Greek philosophy and Aristotle, the concept of natural law refers to using your conscience to analyze the situation and reply with the correct moral behaviour. In addition, natural law is based on; God, the one who created natural law by creating the world, the divine law interpreted from the philosophical idea of Logos, one’s conscience, and reason which is associated with using logic and facts in a way of thinking. In the play Macbeth, the plot is based upon the disruption of Aristotle’s concept of natural law, such as when Macbeth killed Banquo to prevent the prophecy of Banquo becoming a father to a line of kings, as well as when the witches showed Macbeth the three apparitions,…show more content…
One of the ways that Shakespeare portrayed the disruption of the natural law in my opinion was when; Macbeth plotted, and carried out the plan to kill Banquo so that he would eliminate the prophecy of Banquo’s sons becoming kings. Firstly, according to the natural law, Macbeth is opposing it because it is not natural to eradicate an entire family as a solution to jealousy and fear. In act three, Macbeth commences to reveal his true feelings about Banquo: “[o]ur fears in Banquo stick deep, and in his royalty of nature reigns that which would be fear’d.” (3.1.50-52) he persists in saying that he is jealous that the witches had put “…a barren scepter in my gripe…no son of mine succeeding.” (3.1.63-65) Furthermore this confirms that Macbeth killed

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