Final answer:
Dramatic irony is when the audience is aware of information that the characters are not, creating a contrast in perception and understanding. It differs from foreshadowing, which hints at future events, and from historical context or symbols that add depth to the story.
Step-by-step explanation:
When the audience knows more about the characters’ situations than the characters know themselves, it is called dramatic irony. This literary device occurs when the audience has knowledge that one or more characters do not have, creating a contrast between the character's perception and what the audience understands to be true. It can be used to build suspense or to add a layer of complexity to the characters and plot.
As opposed to foreshadowing, which involves hints or clues about what will happen later in the story, or unveiling the symbols and historical context which enrich the setting and themes by adding layers of meaning, dramatic irony directly involves the audience's awareness exceeding that of the characters. Unlike foreshadowing, dramatic irony does not necessarily indicate future events but rather highlights the current situation's irony where the audience's knowledge plays a significant part in how they interpret the events unfolding on stage or in the narrative.