"The Bridge of Brodgar, Stenness, 1875 by Walter Hugh Patton (1828–1895)" by Walter Hugh Patton is licensed under Public Domain
In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, the Orkney Islands appear in Volume III. After Victor promises to create a female Creature for the original Creature, Victor travels to the Orkney Islands to fulfill his promise. It is described as a bleak island, isolated from society. Victor starts to create the second Creature but realizes that the consequences might not be the greatest and breaks his promise, destroying the body of the unfinished female Creature.
The Orkney Islands are a group of islands near the northern coast of Scotland. It is known for its harsh winds, being remote, and isolated from society. At around the time of Mary Shelley writing this novel, the islands were barely populated. They were dependent on fishing, farming, and trading at the seaports.
After doing my research on the Orkney Islands, I can understand the novel a little bit better, especially in why Frankenstein chooses that location to begin to create the second Creature. He chose a place away from society because he knows that he is creating another Creature that is sure to cause more havoc and damage. He thinks that isolating the Creatures that it would help make a difference, but in the process of doing so, he realizes how wrong he is.
Britannica Editors. "Orkney Islands". Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Nov. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/place/Orkney-Islands. Accessed 22 February 2026.
WiWikipedia contributors. "Orkney." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 7 Feb. 2026. Web. 23 Feb. 2026.