'Hamlet' is most probably the most popular play in the world. It is certainly one of the most quoted, even by those who have never read the play or who have no clue about what it is about. However, with all the popularity and available notes about the play, much is still debated and questioned on its variety of complex issues and characters. 
 And it possibly owes its fame to its title character, Hamlet himself, the tragic hero who constantly tries to defines what it is to be man in such an inhumane world. "What a piece of work is man (and this play and literary geniuses like Shakespeare)...". You must have live inside a cave all your life if you have not heard the eternal quote, "to be or not to be", the universal question that has been argued in philosophy since. Then there is the aspect of the supernatural and so on. I am still surprised, even after studying Shakespearean performances and texts all my life, by the wealth of interesting articles and points raised about 'Hamlet', especially as a dramatic text. 
 'So, why the 4/5?'; you impatiently ask. This play ought to deserve 5/5 for all my praises of its universal appeal, yet, based on my personal reception after reading the play, it is definitely not my favourite, especially out of Shakespeare's four great tragedies. This is because of some factors, but before I even begin to discuss them, let me make this perfectly clear, 'Hamlet' is a 5/5 play by its historical and literary significance alone, a triumph in human achievement over the centuries. My reasons are purely personal and possibly, knowing myself, owing to some misunderstanding or bias. 
 My first reason is the one I think was the most dominant one for me. Having read the two Electra's, by the great Greek tragedians Sophocles and Euripides, and Aeschylus's 'The Libation Bearers', I could not help noticing some similarities, especially as regards to the plot (the same incestuous mother, murderous father and revengeful sibling). However, I must admit, I have possibly exaggerated by reading all three of them. Then there is another, purely selfish, reason which is quite basically the fact that I adore 'Macbeth', 'King Lear' and 'Othello', and for all its moral and philosophical concerns, I have felt that 'Hamlet' does not live up to either, based on my high expectations, character and entertainment-wise. The third reason is that I did not feel attached to Ophelia as, say, Cordelia, and I did not find Claudius to be as complex as Iago, as villains go, and so on. 
 However, as I have already said, 'Hamlet' is by all means a masterpiece. I have felt that it explores sentiment at the expense of character, but even that is not an adequate enough reason to criticize 'Hamlet'. It still remains one of our most beloved plays.