According to Malcolm, Macbeth's sins include being lustful, greedy, spiteful, two-faced, violent, impulsive, and dishonest. Malcolm lists sexual purity, honesty, loyalty, lack of greed, and lack of envy as necessary virtues for a ruler. Initially, Malcolm insists he shares all of Macbeth's vices, but then, when Macduff recoils in horror and says Malcolm is not fit to be king, Malcolm backtracks. He says none of what he said was true, but a test of Macduff's...
According to Malcolm, Macbeth's sins include being lustful, greedy, spiteful, two-faced, violent, impulsive, and dishonest. Malcolm lists sexual purity, honesty, loyalty, lack of greed, and lack of envy as necessary virtues for a ruler. Initially, Malcolm insists he shares all of Macbeth's vices, but then, when Macduff recoils in horror and says Malcolm is not fit to be king, Malcolm backtracks. He says none of what he said was true, but a test of Macduff's character. Malcolm wanted to see if Macduff would follow an evil ruler and Macduff proved himself trustworthy because he would not. Malcolm then states that he is honest, for he delights "no less in truth than in life," is a virgin and has all the other attributes of good kingship he listed above, such as loyalty and a lack of greed and envy. He says the lies he just told Macduff about being unfit to rule were his first "false speaking."
Malcolm attributes to King Edward the gift of healing touch, the ability to prophesy and "sundry blessings" that show he is "full of [God's] grace."
What all of this argues is that the most important qualification for political leadership is a strong moral character and an ability to control and tame one's worst impulses. Ideally, as in the case of Edward, this would be accompanied by signs of God's grace.
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