What does the character of Hamlet ultimately seek to achieve?

The character of Hamlet primarily seeks to achieve revenge for his father's death. This quest for vengeance is the driving force behind much of the play's action and conflict. After learning from the ghost of his father that Claudius, his uncle, murdered him to seize the throne, Hamlet becomes obsessed with the idea of avenging this treachery. This desire shapes his interactions with other characters and propels him into a series of contemplative and often erratic behaviors as he wrestles with moral dilemmas, the implications of action versus inaction, and the consequences of revenge.

While Hamlets’s relationships, including that with Ophelia, carry significant weight throughout the narrative, they are ultimately intertwined with his central theme of revenge. Additionally, ambitions for power or material wealth are secondary to his primary obligation to restore justice for his father's wrongful death. Thus, the focus remains firmly on his pursuit of retribution against Claudius, which defines Hamlet’s character and the trajectory of the play.