This story is, like other Poe stories (such as "The Cask of Amontillado") is a story of revenge. In this case, Hop Frog is taking revenge on the king and his ministers for their mistreatment of himself and his friend, Trippetta.
The particular way in which Hop Frog gets revenge is, in my opinion, symbolic. He makes the king and his ministers look and act like apes. This is appropriate because the way the king behaves towards Hop Frog is not very humane -- more like what you would expect from an animal. (For example, making him drink wine or throwing the wine in Trippetta's face for trying to defend Hop Frog.)
I guess Hop Frog deserves sympathy in much the same way you would sympathize with a slave who killed his master.
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