Whereas the reader expects Victor to reflect the joy of having finally reached his goal, his reaction is one of horror. He states, now that I have finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart. While one may assume that his repulsion is due to the physical appearance of the wretch (56), Victor had created the monster and thus knew very well what the creature looked like before it awoke. Therefore, his terror seems to represent a sort of subconscious self-vision. Victor's incestuous dream, where Elizabeth turns into an image of his dead mother, seems to represent his feelings of guilt and betrayal. By leaving home, Victor had separated himself from all feminine influences, focusing his attention on his quest and repressing all other desires. Thus, it seems that the awakening of the monster represents the expression of his repressed desires, including his longing to satisfy his mother's wishes for his and Elizabeth's union. Here, the reader gets a broader view of Victor's characteroone that involves consideration of his loved ones. However, as he becomes enveloped by the pursuit of knowledge and the Romantic quest, Victor isolates himself and in turn loses sight of his need for love and association. This results in the reversal of the romantic quest, where Victor shuns his creation and ultimately hastens his demise.codc dcr sedcdcw ordc dck indc fodc dc.
Victor's goal in creating the monster was outwardly to create a better race for the benefit of humanity. It appears, though, that Victor is personally motivated by narcissism. In regards to his inspiration, Victor states that a new species would bless me as its creator and source; many happy and excellent natures would owe their being to me (52). With these words, it seems that Victor desires to be the object of the monster's desire. With his ego as an obstacle of his own understanding, Victor truly believes that his creation is for the benefit of mankind and the monster himself, in whom Victor will renew life where death had apparently devoted the body to corruption (53).
