Setting

The short story “The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs is set in “Laburnam Villa”, in some remote region of England, as the reference to the Sergeant-Major Morris returning from India suggests. The story is probably set in a time contemporary to the date when it was published, 1902.

The action spans over a week or more, from the night Sergeant-Major Morris visits the Whites to a night one week after the funeral of Herbert White.

Physical setting

The main elements of the physical setting are the house (villa) in which the Whites live and the cemetery where Herbert is buried.

However, the author is more concerned with creating a suspenseful atmosphere in relation to the physical setting. The “night was cold and wet” and the Whites leave in a remote place:

...

Social setting

The social setting presents aspects of British society during the British Empire. The story shows how officers perceived the Indian colony but also the fascination of English people with the exotic country: “…he squared his broad shoulders in the chair and spoke of wild scenes and doughty deeds; of wars and plagues and strange peoples.”

"I'd like to go to India myself," said the old man, "just to look round a bit, you know."
"Better where you are," said the sergeant-major, shaking his head. (...)
"I should like to see those old temples and fakirs and jugglers,"…

...