Certainly it is "tragic" in the generic sense of the word, but I don't know of any literary critic who classifies Merchant as a tragedy. It's often called a "comedy," though I suppose it actually belongs among his "problem plays," the problem being that it doesn't fit the mold of a comedy or a tragedy. Another example of a problem play is Measure for Measure.
My guess is that many Elizabethans probably thought it was a happy ending for Shylock. Even though he didn't get his pound of flesh, he was compelled to be a Christian, which most of the audience probably saw not as punishment but redemption, the unstrained quality of mercy.
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