Merchant Of Venice: Shylock

Many literary critics believe that Shylock is the main antagonist, mostly because of his religion. While reading this book, the character Shylock is portrayed as a harsh person for wanting a pound of Antonio's flesh if he doesn't pay his loan back, but yet I am still finding myself feeling sympathetic for him because he is constantly getting picked on because of his religion.
Shylock: You called me 'dog'; and for these courtesies/I'll lend you thus much moneys?
Antonio: I am as like to call thee so again/... Lend it not/ as to thy friends,...But lend it rather to thine enemy.
This quotation show how Antonio treats Shylock, and that Antonio doesn't care about his emotions and isn't going to stop. Shylock wants to have some power for once over Antonio, so he allows him to borrow money, but threatens to take a pound of Antonio's flesh, meaning his heart, if he doesn't repay him on time.
Shylock:If you repay me not on such a day./ In such a place, such a 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.
When Shylock says this to Antonio we see how severely he is willing to punish Antonio for not repaying him, and we are presented with a more cruel and evil side of Shylock. Shylock wants Antonio dead and so he wants the heart as his pound of flesh, but he could have chosen an easier punishment. But since Antonio has done nothing but be mean to Shylock he is just going to act the same way when giving him the loan. This is where we are introduced to the antagonist in Shylock. He is considered the "Bad Guy" in this novel but yet we feel sympathetic towards him because he is constantly being picked on by others. Shylock could have easily not accepted the offer from Antonio, but he lends him money even after being so cruel to him. Shylock doesn't even show any hostility towards Antonio and strangely enough wants to become Antonio's friend but He denies him and asks him to be is enemy. We see this in the first quotation. In that scene we see how Antonio talks to Shylock, like he is lower than him, and Antonio has no regret in any of his hurtful actions. When we read how cruel Antonio has been to Shylock we feel sorry for him because he has been abused by Antonio and seeks no revenge on him. When I am reading this book a feel terrible for Shylock because many people can relate to being bullied for no apparent reason. But i become even more sympathetic when Antonio clearly states he is going to keep bullying him and that he feeling no remorse for what he has done and will do. Therefore, I have sympathy for Shylock, although he is in the antagonist in the book.