I think that the text does not give us enough reasoning to feel sympathy for Shylock because Shakespeare has Shylock be an angry character. "...If u repay me not on such a day, in such a place, such sum or sums as are expressed in the condition, let the forfeit be nominated for an equal pound of your fair flesh ,to be cut off and taken in what part of your body pleaseth me" (Act I, Sc. III, p. 37) This shows that Shylock doesn't feel bad for himself and just wants revenge. I don't think we should give someone sympathy that just seeks for revenge right away. He is asking for a pound of Antonio's flesh(his heart) if he doesn't bring him his money. To me this is obviously too harsh of a penalty because I don't think that ending a life is equal on a punishment scale to money. There has to be a deeper decision being made by Shylock that has to do with how Antonio makes fun of him for being Jewish.
I also think he is the antagonist without sympathy because I feel like in this specific text it is okay to be antisemitic. "...You call me misbeliever, cutthroat dog, and spent apon my Jewish gaberdine..."(Act I, Sc. III, p. 35) This shows that Shylock isn't only focused on the money. He looks for revenge against Antonio for all of the names he calls him for being a Jew. I think that if revenge wasn't being committed by Shylock then we would feel sympathetic for these bad things that Antonio does to him but he acts like a bully as well because revenge is not the same as justice. Justice is a fair punishment and I feel like Shylock is going overboard with killing Antonio for his wrong doings.
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