Imagine reading a 17th-century book where the characters talk like millennials or Gen Z. Or maybe they’re using technology that’s way too advanced for the time period.
These are cases of anachronism, where certain elements are inconsistent with the setting. These things immediately take you out of the story, rendering it doubtful or even unpleasant to read.
What Is an Anachronism?
An anachronism is a chronological inconsistency. It happens when you write something into a story that doesn’t belong in the time it is set in.
It’s like reading about a smartphone in a story in the Middle Ages. You might not explicitly state it is a smartphone, but its description is enough to clue the audience in.
Anachronisms don’t only happen when the future finds its way to the past. I can make a modern character have a pet Dodo but that’s impossible. They’re extinct, with the last known sighting in 1662.
The most common examples are misplaced objects though they can also be music, ideologies, materials, slang, customs, practices, and anything that shouldn’t exist in that setting.
Types of Anachronism
Here are the different types of anachronism, each serving a different purpose.
1. Parachronism
A parachronism is anything that is found in a period that it shouldn’t normally be in. It could be an object, colloquial expression, technology, or idea that is closely related to a given period and becomes strange when seen in another.
It is not an impossible thing and mostly takes the form of outdated things appearing in a modern setting. You might read about a character who writes with a quill or operates a steam engine. Both are unusual but still possible.
2. Prochronism
A prochronism is an impossible anachronism. It occurs when something is added to a period where it could not have existed yet. This is the type of anachronism you usually encounter in books and movies.
It mostly takes on the form of modern or future elements appearing in the past. A caveman using a stove to cook with is impossible. So are streetlights during the medieval ages.
3. Behavioral or cultural anachronism
This type refers to beliefs, customs, and behaviors that are unrealistic to a specific period but can’t be deemed impossible.
An example is portraying women in professions that were traditionally dominated by men during a certain historical period. Joan of Arc, Rena Kanokogi, Anne Bonny, Deborah Sampson, and the Brontë sisters are just a few real-life examples.
4. False anachronism
A false anachronism is when something seems out of place despite being accurate. A famous example of this is “The Tiffany Problem”.
It’s weird to find someone named Tiffany in a story set in the Middle Ages, right? Wrong, it’s actually historically accurate. Tiffany is a shortened form of Theophania and was a popular name in that period.
Examples in Literature and Film
Here are a few famous examples taken from literature and film.
Braveheart
Scots in kilts feature prominently in this movie. The only problem is that William Wallace died in the 14th century. The kilt came into fashion in the 16th century.
Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
Brutus: “Peace! Count the clock.”
Cassius: “The clock has stricken three.”
This exchange happens in Act 2, Scene 1. Julius Caesar is set during 44 B.C. Mechanical clocks hadn’t been invented yet during that time. Another anachronism is the use of a doublet. It was fashionable during Shakespeare’s time but people wore togas in ancient Rome.
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain
This story, about an American man finding himself pulled back in time to King Arthur’s court, is full of intended anachronisms. He then attempts to modernize medieval England as a rival wizard to Merlin.
Twain didn’t care much for accuracy here but focused on juxtaposing the old and new, ranging from religion to governance.
Mad Men
One of the most famous scenes in this drama set in the 1960s shows Don Draper coming up with Lucky Strike’s iconic slogan. In reality, the slogan was first introduced in 1917.
Unintentional Vs. Intentional Anachronism
Most anachronisms are unintentional. They happen because:
- you are unaware of the differences between terminologies, customs, behaviors, and technologies in different historical periods.
- you unconsciously project modern perspectives, behaviors, morals, and ideas into a story set in the past.
- you assume certain things exist in the setting you’re writing about.
- you take something familiar to you and add it to a story set in the past or future.
- elements of your work become anachronistic as it ages due to changes later in real life.
- language evolves and you use words and descriptions that sound ordinary now but are out of place in different historical contexts.
Anachronisms can also be used intentionally. You can use them to elicit a specific reaction from your audience or simply as an artistic choice.
Why Use Anachronisms?
Anachronisms can make it difficult for your audience to immerse themselves in your story. But if you can use them right, you can weave a stronger story that pulls your readers in and makes them stay.
A common use is to add humor or to emphasize a character’s odd trait. Napoleon Dynamite does this well. Its 80s aesthetic, despite being set in 2004, gives it a uniquely quirky and comical feel that is further reinforced by the characters’ social awkwardness.
Another way to use it is to bridge the gap between your setting and your reader’s familiarity with it. If you can make the setting more accessible, your audience can focus on the plot more.
Lastly, use anachronisms as clues. You might have reasons to obscure the details about your setting or a character’s background. Or maybe you just want to be subtle. For example, you can implicitly introduce a time traveler by making them speak modern expressions or exhibit behaviors not typical to the period.
And of course, don’t overdo it. The more you draw attention to these anachronisms, the more you take your readers away from the actual story.
Do you use anachronisms in your writing? Share your thoughts below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- Non-Sequitur: Using Absurdity in Writing
- Anthropomorphism: Assigning Human Traits To Non-humans
- Zeugma: How One Word Can Create Connections Between Multiple Ideas
- Paradox: Definition and Examples
Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!
