The Moral Thinking of Macbeth

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NURAN ENG 505 MORALITY IN MACBETH In “The Moral Thinking of Macbeth”, J. Gregory Keller is responding to Hannah Arendt’s critical article. Arendt says that “evil may arise from thoughtlessness. If that is so, thinking may provide an antidote to evil” (Keller, 41) In his article, Keller comments on Arendt’s thesis connected with Macbeth. Keller tries to find an answer to the question of “Does the ability of thinking is enough to avoid evil?” After witches foresee that Macbeth will be the king of Scotland, Macbeth goes home and he says this prediction to his wife, Lady Macbeth and Lady Macbeth begins to think about what they can do in order to make this prediction real as soon as possible. Lady Macbeth implies that he should kill Duncan who is the current king of Scotland. In this point, thinking and action play an important role in the play. Macbeth: -But in these cases, We still have judgment here; that we but teach Bloody instructions, which being taught, return To plague th’ inventor … (1,7,7-10,Macbeth) In this scene, Macbeth follows morality because he thinks that if he does bloody things, he will be an example for others. When he kills Duncan to become a king, he will be the king but in the future if there is someone who wants to take his place, that person will kill Macbeth. So Macbeth is aware of the fact that what goes around comes around. The other reason not to kill Duncan for Macbeth is trust which is one of the most important moral values. He’s here in double trust; First, as I am his kinsman and his subject, Strong both against the deed; then as his host, Who should against his murderer shut the door, Not bear the knife myself. (1,7,12-16) In the beginning, as it is understood from the quotation,
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