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The determining factor in the greatness of a work of literature is whether or not it has a powerful impact on the audience. John Hersey once said, "The final test of a work of art, is not whether it has beauty, but whether it has power." William Shakespeare's Macbeth and Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird are both literary classics that prove Hersey's statement to be true. Much of the power of these books comes from the strong development of timeless themes and characters, and use of effective imagery and symbolism. Macbeth's themes are much of what make the play the classic it is. One of these themes is that too much ambition can have disastrous consequences. In his attempt to gain more power, he killed his good friends King Duncan and Banquo, as well as MacDuff's family. Macbeth became increasingly cruel and ruthless as a ruler, until he was beheaded MacDuff. Macbeth was once a good and loyal servant to his kingdom, but his greed led to his evil end. This theme of how people's greed can lead to their downfall is still very relevant today. The theme of fate's role in life is also present in Macbeth. Macbeth visited the three Weird Sisters, who prophesied that Macbeth would become the king of Scotland. They could have