Anachronism
Pronounced uh-NAK-ruh-niz-um.
Anachronism: Something placed in the wrong historical period, whether by error or by design.
Accidental anachronisms break trust in historical fiction; deliberate ones - a striking clock in ancient Rome, modern slang at a Regency ball - wink at the audience across time.
Anachronism examples
"The clock hath stricken three - a striking clock in ancient Rome, fourteen centuries early."
— Julius Caesar, Shakespeare
"A Connecticut Yankee brings nineteenth-century engineering to Camelot on purpose - the anachronism is the whole novel."
— A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, Mark Twain
"The Roman centurion checked his watch."
— original example
"Film continuity errors - a jet trail over a medieval battle - are the accidental version."
— common usage
Spot the Anachronism
Score: 0/0Something placed in the wrong historical period, whether by error or by design.
"The clock hath stricken three - a striking clock in ancient Rome, fourteen centuries early."
Which work is this from?
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Anachronism: common questions
What is anachronism in literature?
Something placed in the wrong historical period, whether by error or by design. Accidental anachronisms break trust in historical fiction; deliberate ones - a striking clock in ancient Rome, modern slang at a Regency ball - wink at the audience across time.
What is an example of anachronism?
A classic example is "The clock hath stricken three - a striking clock in ancient Rome, fourteen centuries early." (Julius Caesar, Shakespeare).
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