Trace the Progress of King Mecbeth

Trace the progress of Mecbeth Kingship .
Shakespeare proposes a list of qualities required for kingship. “The king becoming graces”. He includes “justice, vertity, temperance, stableness, bounty, perseverance, mercy, lowliness, devotion, patience, courage, fortitude”. Although it is an extensive list Duncan possesses them all. He is just by punishing the traitor Cawdor and rewarding Macbeth and Banquo. He is humble, offering to be Macbeth’s guest in return for his bravery. He is compassionate in sending the injured captain to have his wounds bathed. In fact Duncan’s “Virtues  will plea like angels trumpet tongu’d”. Macbeth on the other hand doesn’t possess any of these.
Duncan has some faults. He isn’t sufficiently brave or capable to lead his armies on the battlefield. Secondly he is gullible and easily deceived. Cawdor betrayed him when Duncan put his “absolute trust” in him and so did Macbeth. But throughout the play an emphasis is placed on Duncan’s good qualities. He is compared to Edward the Confessor, King of England, whose “Sundry blessings hang about his throne that speak him fall of grace”. He uses God-given healing powers to cure his subjects of “the evil”. Both kings are models of the just and benevolent exercise of power.
[pic][pic]Macbeth wants Duncans power due to his ” Vaulting ambition”. He takes the throne by murdering, against his own conscience, and better judgement, a good man who is his guest, subject and Kinsmen. Regicide is unatural and he knows Duncan was a fine king. Malcolm, Duncan’s son, was the named successor and was a “step on which I must fall down else o’er leap for in my way it lies”. Yet Malcom was weak and did not contest Macbeth’s right to the throne after the death of his father. Instead he fled to England and his brother Donalblaine fled to Ireland.
Macbeth acquires his power illegally and immorally, he become “an untitled tyrant bloddy sceptered”. He has usurped the throne, a position that should only be held by Macolm...