Has Macbeth gotten what he deserves or gotten off too easily? What is an argument for each viewpoint?

Macbeth has gotten what he deserves in that he has placed his trust in superstition and external forces, rather than relying on his own talents and abilities. When he makes the doomed choice to listen to the witches he sets forth a series of events that lead to his demise. Once he has done this, it comes to fruition in a terrible and bloody way.

Many could also argue that he got off too easily, considering that he murdered his liege lord AND a member of his own family. The fact that his conscience haunts him, his shrew of a wife kills herself, and his best laid plans fall apart, in the end, he doesn't learn from any of this and continues on with his plan. In the end, he did not suffer the consequences of the deaths like the others did.