What makes Hamlet still a very popular play ? Give reasons.

Many critics consider Hamlet to be the first "modern"
character, in that he steps outside the boundaries of his role as tragic hero, to really
consider the question of what it means to be a human being and take action in the
world.

Philosophically, there have been many movements and
approaches to living our human lives, but Hamlet seems to be a character who could be
considered pertinent to them all.  Even one of the most modern philosophies,
Existentialism, which questions the meaning and purpose behind human action, seems to
apply.

Theatrically, the character itself is considered the
greatest acting challenge for an English speaking actor.  And an explanation for this
could be that Hamlet does not really exist separately from the actor who plays him.  The
great and memorable Hamlets have each found and shared some unique aspect of the role,
an aspect that each has found inside him/herself.

Hamlet,
whether considered as a juicy role for an actor or as a mirror in which audience members
see themselves, is still popular largely because he embodies the question:  "What does
it mean to be a human being?"