In Act III scene I Salanio and Salarino confront Shylock, mocking him about his daughter's deception and insulting him. Shylock explains why he will take Antonio's flesh, making his famous speech, 'I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions?' This is where Shakespeare evokes our sympathy, by making us realise how Shylock has suffered because of the prejudices of the Christians around him. He explains his motives for revenge in a rational way, showing how his actions are no different from the Christians'. Look carefully at the language he uses, as well as the insulting and mocking language used by the other two. At the end of the scene, Shylock mourns the loss of his daughter, although our feelings towards him are a bit mixed, for he seems to care more about the money. He does give evidence, however, of his love for his wife, which again, creates sympathy. Shylock is merely responding in the same way that he has had people respond to him all his life.
However, it would be unjust to brand the Christians as spiteful racists and describe Shylock as a helpless victim, deserving our full sympathy. Shylock is also sinned against his own flesh and blood. Once again, however, it would be a gross distortion to label Jessica as an unfilial, daughter and regard Shylock as the innocent, injured party. It was stated that Shylock was unfair to Jessica and did not treat her very well. Later, after that incident, we see a more human side to Shylock’s character when he hears that Jessica has sold his ring given to him by his wife.
However, Shylock loses our sympathy when we see his avaricious nature. In addition, we cannot excuse Shylock’s devious vengeful nature as demonstrated in the way which he is cunningly entraps Antonio to ‘feed his revenge’. In the court scene, Portia, with whom the audience feels great sympathy, is arguing against Shylock. His argument seems to have less force here and we feel that he is being unfairly cruel and stubborn, especially after Antonio has lost his fortune. His lack of humanity is fully highlighted here, by not showing mercy to Antonio by accepting the money. This can still be argued that Shylock stubbornness was to show that he would hold firm to the law and he was not a greedy man. However, some sympathy for Shylock may be created as a result of Antonio's spiteful speech, 'I pray you, think you question with the Jew: You may as well go stand upon the beach /And bid the main flood bate his usual height;'
The fact that he does not win the case - and even loses a great deal of money - may be just rewards, according to some people. Others feel sorry for him, because it seems as if everyone, including the just Portia, is against him. Moreover, the punishment meted out to him is rather harsh on several counts.
Shylock leaves the play feeling ill and old, having lost everything that makes his life worth living, including his self-esteem, a broken man, we truly feel sorry for him, perhaps because the Christian relish their triumph so much and because we feel in our heart of hearts that Jessica's romance is built on ducats rather than devotion.
Ultimately, Shylock loses all our sympathy because his method of revenge is that of cold and calculating murder. He is a villain, but we do have sympathy in his sufferings for much of the play. Shylock is difficult to judge because he is not merely a caricature, even though Shakespeare perhaps meant him to be originally, he is a real person and he is too complex to make facile judgments about.
