Anachronism
An anachronism is an element that appears in a historical context where it does not belong, often leading to a perception of inauthenticity in literature, films, and other media. For instance, characters using modern inventions or language in a period piece may disrupt the narrative's immersion for the audience. Anachronisms can be categorized into four types: parachronism, prochronism, cultural anachronism, and false anachronism. Each type highlights different ways that historical accuracy can be compromised, whether by introducing elements that are too advanced or unlikely for a given time period. While most anachronisms are unintentional errors reflecting insufficient research by authors, some are employed deliberately for comedic effect or to make material more relatable to contemporary audiences, particularly children. Notable examples of both intentional and unintentional anachronisms can be found in classic works by authors like Shakespeare, who incorporated modern concepts into historical narratives. Understanding anachronisms can enhance one’s appreciation of storytelling by revealing the complexities involved in maintaining historical fidelity.
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Anachronism
An anachronism is something or someone that appears in a historic time when it should not. For example, in a historical novel set in the 1800s, a character may use or discuss something that was not yet invented. Readers who notice this error may stop reading because they consider the novel to be unauthentic. In addition to novels, anachronisms occur in plays, films, and television programs. One of the most famous anachronisms in film occurred in Braveheart when Mel Gibson wore a kilt. The film was set in the thirteenth century, but kilts were not yet worn then. While anachronisms are most often mistakes, they are occasionally intentional, such as using modern language in a historical book for children, so the words are easier for children to comprehend.
Background
The term “anachronism” comes from the Greek word “anachronous,” which means “against time.” It refers to a person or an object that goes against the time when a work of fiction takes place. The majority of anachronisms are errors that make writing seem unrealistic. Writers do not want readers to stop reading to think about or research the anachronism; they want readers to become engrossed in the story. Anachronisms reflect poorly on the author because it appears that they did not carefully research the time period in which their work takes place.
However, occasionally writers include anachronisms on purpose. Intentional anachronisms have been used in literary memes to create humor. Anachronisms are also used to make a book, film, or television series appeal to children. For example, How to Train Your Dragon, a children’s movie released in 2010, takes place in a Viking village, yet the characters speak as people do in modern times. This was done intentionally to avoid confusing young viewers.
There are four types of anachronisms: parachronism, prochronism, cultural anachronism, and false anachronism. Parachronism refers to a character using something from the past that is out of place. For example, if a character in a novel set in the 2000s uses an oil lamp, it is a parachronism. While it is possible that a person could do this, it is unlikely and peculiar enough to make a reader stop reading.
A prochronism refers to something shown in a work before it actually existed, such as a character in a movie set in the 1920s using a microwave oven, which was invented in the 1940s. Other examples include finding human remains in a novel about dinosaurs even though dinosaurs lived long before people, and characters going to a drive-through for fast food before 1947, when the first drive-through opened.
A cultural anachronism is also called a behavioral anachronism. It refers to anything that seems unlikely to occur in a time period, such as including a female physician in a novel set in the early 1800s. While it might be possible for a woman to have been a physician then, it is not likely because Elizabeth Blackwell earned a medical degree in 1849, and she is believed to have been the first woman to do this.
A false anachronism refers to something that seems out of place in a particular time but actually is not. This type of anachronism is dubbed “The Tiffany Problem.” Tiffany comes from Greek name “Theophania,” which was a common girls’ name during the thirteenth century. Therefore, if a novel set in 1430 has a character named Tiffany, it is accurate even though it does not seem like it is. It is better for writers to avoid using false anachronisms in their work because they confuse readers.
Overview
Writers should take care to thoroughly research the era in which their story takes place. However, even if they do this, anachronisms may slip through the cracks. The famous bard William Shakespeare included an anachronism in his play Julius Caesar. In the play, Brutus tells Cassius to “Peace, count the clock,” and Cassius replies that “The clock hath stricken three.” Clocks were not yet invented in Caesar’s time, but they existed during Shakespeare’s time. However, even then, clocks were used to indicate when church services began; they were not yet used by everyday people to tell time. Later in the same play, after having a discussion with Cassius, Brutus returns to a book that he had been reading. He could find the page he left off on because “the leaf turn’d down.” In other words, he turned down the corner of the page he had been reading. However, the people of this time read scrolls. Books with spines and pages did not yet exist.
However, Shakespeare intentionally used anachronisms in some of his works. For example, in Antony and Cleopatra, Cleopatra plays billiards, a game that was not yet invented. Historians believe that Shakespeare included the game because he set the play in his own time when people did play the game. In other words, he created a modern version of an old story.
Another intentional anachronism occurred in the film Marie Antoinette (2006), a historical drama that takes place in about 1774. In one scene, a young Marie Antoinette is seen with a pair of sneakers in the background because the director believed that viewers would associate the sneakers with a naïve teenager, which Marie was.
An unintentional anachronism occurred in the 1992 film Malcolm X. After this home is firebombed, Malcolm pleads for someone to call 911. However, Malcolm was assassinated in 1965, three years before the 911 service was introduced.
Bibliography
Abreu, Rafael. “What Is Anachronism—Definitions, Examples, & Creative Uses.” Studio Binder, 25 June 2023, www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-anachronism-definition/. Accessed 30 May 2024.
Hynes, James. “’Whatever!’: In Defense of Anachronism in Ancient Rome.” Lit Hub, 9 Aug. 2023, lithub.com/whatever-in-defense-of-anachronism-in-ancient-rome/. Accessed 30 May 2024.
Mullen, Mary. “Anachronism.” Victorian Literature and Culture, vol. 43, no. 3-4, 2018, pp. 567-570, doi.org/10.1017/S1060150318000256. Accessed 30 May 2024.
Pethers, Matthew. “William Williams, Anachronism, and the Temporal Logic of Textual Recovery (1776/1815/1969).” American Literary History, vol. 36, no. 1, 15 Feb. 2024, pp. 16-50, doi.org/10.1093/alh/ajad230. Accessed 30 May 2024.
Russo, Stephanie. An Anachronistic Turn: Historical Fiction, Drama, Film, and Television. Routledge, 2024.