" Calling their marriage incestuous and wicked draws attention to the depth of feeling gnawing away at Hamlet, the complex emotions that drive his actions throughout the course of the play. Hamlet perceives their union as being against divine law by using words like "incestuous" and "wicked." The use of several mythological allusions during the soliloquy also underscores Hamlet's detachment from reality: Hamlet refers to Hyperion, satyrs, Niobe and Hercules. Furthermore, the verses contain considerable foreshadowing, especially when Hamlet suggests that the marriage "cannot come to good." He senses doom even before becoming aware of the murder and being drawn into a plot to exact revenge for his father. Because of Hamlet's frank discussion of death, including his own, in the first soliloquy the audience is well-prepared for the bloody events to follow.

Hamlet also cries "Frailty, thy name is woman!" partly in anger against his mother but also demonstrating...

Yet equally as important as what Hamlet was concerned about are the issues Hamlet fails to address in the soliloquy, including the future fate of his nation. As his father's son and Prince, Hamlet is in a key position to vie for the throne but his jealousy of his uncle has less to do with his usurpation of power as it does with family gossip. Hamlet doesn't mention the state of affairs in Denmark and does not seem concerned with political issues much throughout the play. The first soliloquy therefore reveals Hamlet's weak personality and his lack of leadership skills. Shakespeare deliberately places Hamlet's entry on stage and his first soliloquy late: after King Claudius has a chance to speak at length. Moreover, Claudius does address issues of political import, which further contrasts Hamlet's self-absorption with Claudius' ambition.