Why The Climax of Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" Is Set in the Arctic

One of the most dominant leitmotifs of Frankenstein is that of loneliness. From his first breath, the creature feels abandoned and isolated. The story is riddled with examples of orphans, from Justine to Elizabeth to Caroline, all of whom have experienced the extreme pain of aloneness. The monster seems to embody loneliness itself, and by the story's conclusion, both he and Victor live with only the company of their hatred for each other. Shelley skillfully …

…Arctic bleak and harsh, but it is also dangerously frigid. After only a few minutes outside, one not properly clothed risks death. Often, a sense of coldness is closely associated with loneliness. For example, the giver of a "cold" stare seeks to distance herself from the recipient. Someone with no companionship has no one to keep him warm. Thus, the Arctic provides a perfect locale for the conclusion of this story of desertion and solitude.