As a work of nonfiction, The Origin of Species does not have a setting in the way a novel has a setting. However, understanding the setting in which Darwin wrote the book can be helpful when trying to analyze it. For one thing, Darwin based many of his ideas on observations he made when he visited the Galápagos Islands. These islands, located off the coast of Ecuador, are located right on the equator. This means that they are in the tropics, a band of the globe with a climate especially conducive to flourishing life. The islands are also volcanic, making their soil especially rich in nutrients. All of this combines to make the Galápagos Islands a vibrant place, where there is a dense population of varied life forms. Darwin noticed this when he visited, and his interest in islands especially can be explained by the way his visit influenced his theory and thinking.
But Darwin doesn't just write about life in the tropics. In fact, a disproportionate number of his examples are drawn from England: when he needs a case study to describe an idea to his readers, he often chooses sheep, pigeons, or other creatures with which his English readers would be familiar. Part of this tendency may also be explained by the fact that Darwin lived in England. Still, it is not only the natural setting in which Darwin wrote that influenced his book. His regular references to his fellow scientists and the Linnean Society reveals that his social environment also shaped his argument. Darwin's theory has largely held up to further scientific scrutiny, and it applies to life in the broadest sense. He also uses language to help a broad audience understand his claims. At the same time, his metaphors (such as his extended comparison between natural selection and war) are aimed at convincing a very narrow and masculine part of British society that they should sponsor his theory.
