Notes on the practice exam.

Do not write the number count on your page When using numbers, spell them out. Do not write the number. Macbeth is not a book, or a novel, it is a play! Shakespeare. The spelling was on the board! Paragraphing each topic to have its own paragraph. Focus less on the storyline the topic is asking WHY it is a classic. Relate everything back to being a classic. Work on your sentences. Read them over before finishing them off. Some are completely unfinished. Spelling Make sure you PLAN YOUR ESSAY to a T. Granted we dont know the actual essay question BUT try and make it so you understand the terms themes, characters, classic etc.

William Shakespeares Macbeth has long been regarded as a classic. Through the use of themes, characters; setting, and context, William Shakespeare created a great tragedy. Regardless of the fact that it was written in the 16th century, Macbeth has been recreated numerous times by many different theatre companies and is still used as a learning resource within high schools. There are many reasons why Macbeth is regarded as a classic but to further explore this notion it first has to be established what exactly a classic is.

A classic can be defined as an author, artist, or work of art of recognized excellence and/or of lasting interest because of excellence. This definition is open to interpretation due to the fact that people have different opinions on what exactly constitutes excellence, especially in regards to literary texts. Macbeth was written in the 16th Century and yet is still read, discussed, analysed and performed in high schools worldwide. This fact in itself should be proof enough of its excellence; however to further reiterate that Macbeth is of high quality, the themes and characters must be discussed and related to the notion of Macbeth being a classic text.

One of the main themes seen in Macbeth is that of power. Power is a very common theme explored in texts and is portrayed in Macbeth through the telling of the protagonists journey. Lady Macbeths ambition for power is the underlying theme throughout the plot of this tragedy however this story focuses on Macbeth and his actions. Throughout history, struggles for power have long been regarded as interesting to society. Just as crowds in the 16th century were drawn to Shakespeares interpretation of a man with power, society in the 21 st century find the lives of those with power intriguing. Whether it is simply an election or even a downfall of a leader, society will still be interested in these events for years to come. This in itself proves that Macbeth is regarded as a classic as this theme is still very contemporary however for it to be regarded excellent, further analysis is needed.

Another theme that demonstrates that Macbeth can be classified as a classic is that of gender. The idea that women are not the stronger sex has long been regarded as the truth. Regardless of feminist movements and the open-mindedness of society today, women are still regarded as the lesser gender. Shakespeare highlighted this theme through his portrayal of Lady Macbeth. Though she seems to be the one person behind the madness that is Macbeth she still does not hold the ultimate power. Even the idea of her having power over Macbeth and making him perform regicide drives her insane. The fact that she was driven insane by Macbeths actions and he was not shows the audience that she is weaker than he is. Both women and men are able to relate to this concept and will be able to for many years to come, thus making it relevant and an ever-lasting theme.

The final theme to be explored within this play is that of ambition. Every person has ambition within them, regardless if it is a small personal goal or a large life goal, everyone can relate to Lady Macbeths ambition and how hard she tried in order to achieve her dream of gaining power. Though most people would not go to the extremes Lady Macbeth did, people are always striving for better. This theme is explored not only with Lady Macbeth but with other characters also. The idea of ambition is one that is continuously recreated within different texts and will always be relatable to readers thus is a timeless concept.

Lady Macbeth and Macbeth are very strong characters and their personal exploration of the aforementioned themes goes to show that Macbeth is a play that will long be regarded as a classic. Its themes are timeless and the storyline will continue to intrigue an audience as theyre able to relate to the characters and the story behind them. Macbeth is a classic and will be considered so for many years to come.