How does this example of dramatic irony manipulate the audience sympathies, develops character, and develops the conflict and/or theme of the...

The fact that the audience knows that Claudius did in fact
kill King Hamlet makes the audience feel sympathy for Prince Hamlet, but it also makes
us question his actions or lack of actions throughout the play. The fact that the ghost
tells Hamlet that he was killed by Claudius doesn't necessarily set up the dramatic
irony in the play because Hamlet is not sure if the ghost is really his father or if the
ghost is an evil spirit that is there to pull him into Hell. In act II scene ii Hamlet
is expresses the fact that he is upset with himself after the player performs the
monologue about Priam and Hecuba and begins to cry. Hamlet is having a hard time
understanding how the actor can show so much emotion over someone he doesn't even know,
but he has not done anything to avenge his father. However, Hamlet also states that he
needs more proof that the ghost is telling the truth because he is still not sure that
the ghost isn't evil. He states that he will use the play "to capture the conscious of
the king" (II.ii.586). In other words he will watch Claudius's reaction and decide if he
is guilty. Therefore, at this point we don't know for sure that Claudius is the
killer.

However, in act III scene iii Claudius admits his
guilt in a soliloquy when he tries to pray. He also says that his prayers will not go to
Heaven because there is no action behind them. In other words he is not willing to give
back the queen, the crown or his power -all things he obtained after the murder. The
fact that we, the audience, now know that he is guilty but not willing to give back what
he has received helps us to understand what an evil person Claudius really is and how
much he deserves to die.

The dramatic irony also helps the
reader understand why Hamlet is so quick to kill Polonius, who he thinks is Claudius,
when he is talking to his mother and hears something behind the curtain (III.iv). The
audience can understand why Hamlet wants to kill Clauidus. However, the dramatic irony
also makes the audience wonder why Hamlet takes so long to get revenge. Hamlet gets
upset with himself in his solioquy in act II scene ii and again in act IV scene iv
because he has not avenged his father's death. Since the audience knows that Claudius
did indeed kill King Hamlet, we are left to wonder why Hamlet just doesn't kill
Claudius.