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What qualifications did Macbeth possess to become a good king? In other words, how or why was Macbeth was next in line for the throne? Malcolm and...

This is a good question, as it deals with a potentially tricky part of the text. While it's true that Macbeth isn't directly related to King Duncan and so seems an unlikely pick for the throne, it's important to remember that Macbeth was wildly popular with the king at the time and had proved himself recently on the battlefield. 


The play opens at the tail end of a battle between King Duncan's forces and Macdonwald. During the course of the fighting, Macbeth distinguishes himself by defeating Macdonwald and showing great courage, and King Duncan is so impressed that he names Macbeth Thane of Cawdor. This unexpected promotion signals Macbeth's growing popularity with the monarch, and it is this growing political clout that allows Macbeth to jockey himself into consideration for the crown. As such, while Macbeth does not have a claim to kingship via relation to the king, he has won the king's favor and proven himself to be a capable leader, at least in military terms. In that case, the other Scottish lords deem him to be a worthy substitution, and so he is chosen more or less by popular demand in the absence of Duncan's sons. 


Also, it's worth mentioning that Duncan's sons flee because they think that they might also be in danger of losing their lives. This act causes the Scottish lords to consider Duncan's sons to be the murderers, further motivating the aristocracy to choose Macbeth in their place. 

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