Can evil characters engender sympathy?

I believe that not all evil characters are always entitled evil. With good characters or people, they always have an inner evil mood, that generates, when their mad, or aggressive. Again, not all people are completely evil or good, they contain have some of both traits in them.

Evil characters actions are provoked by their past presences. Evil characters have motives from background situation which leads them for their actions of committing wrong doings. At once, these so called villains or evil characters, were average, normal characters living their lives, until a tragedy occurs, which then, they turn into the dark side (evil) for revenge. In Batman: Dark Knight, you can see Joker, whom goes by the story of, his alcoholic father beating him, and causing the cuts near his mouth, but also killing his mother. (Not sure about the death of the mother, but pretty sure about the cut near his mouth). Jokers abusive father, lead Joker, into evolving to the monster he is, causing chaos and destruction in the city.

In many or all circumstances the evil characters engender sympathy, as said before not everyone is fully evil. Even Hitler, whom killed millions of Jew’s, and the Sri Lankan government whom are killing thousands of Tamil’s currently, still had sympathy for several some Jews, and Tamils. In the Tamil’s case, the government still in turn, provide insufficient food and shelter for the Tamils. By providing less then minimal food for endangered people, they still have a soft side, for this people. Relating to Hitler he allowed several Jewish children to live, as he could have been evil, and have slaughtered them. Even thought that Hitler and the Sri Lankan government are considered evil to many, they still have a soft side, for their evil and selfish motives.

Such examples of sympathy exists, whereas in movies, where the villain usually gives the person being harmed or killed another chance to live, or ease their actions, resulting in lessen pain. In real life situation in our society, average/normal civilians would most certainly have engendered sympathy. If it were robbers first time robbing a person or store, the next time he does it, they may regard it or back out, after the feelings learned and being affected from first robbery done.

Therefore, an evil character whom at a time can be seen as a good character, then become evil, can still engender sympathy from their past morals.