Ever think about the notorious Starbucks cup in Game of Thrones. You know the writers and producers did not mean for that to show up in an aired scene. Well, that is an example of an unintentional anachronism that oddly enough, makes a strong statement about our society. But what exactly is an anachronism? Read on to find out.
What is Anachronism?
An anachronism is a literary device that places something or someone in a historical place or time they do not belong to and could not logically exist. Anachronisms can be found in everyday life, literature, film, tv, or pop culture. When discovered, the reaction is often that of, “Hey. Wait a minute. That’s not right.” and makes you do a double take.
How to pronounce Anachronism?
How and Why Do Writers Use Anachronisms?
Writers use anachronisms for a variety of reasons, and they do this in two ways: intentionally and unintentionally.
- Intentionally – When using an anachronism intentionally, the writer makes a conscious decision to point something out that doesn’t quite fit. One of the best examples of this occurs in the film Marie Antoinette (2006). Sofia Coppola wanted to make a statement about the young queen by emphasizing her youth and naivete, so she placed a pair of Converse sneakers in a scene depicting Marie’s bedchamber even though the film was set in the 1700s.
- Unintentionally – As you may have already guessed, an unintentional anachronism is just that. Unintentional. A great example of this was the huge Starbucks scandal surrounding Game of Thrones as the series wrapped up. In one of the scenes that aired, a modern Starbucks cup is sitting on the table in front of Calise.
Now that we’ve covered the how, let’s discuss why writers use anachronisms. The three primary reasons writers use anachronisms are:
Humor – Anachronisms can come as surprise or be sarcastic in nature. A great example is the film Napoleon Dynamite. The film took place in 2004 but the characters dress in styles from the 1980s and similarly dated technologies such as VCRs.
Make a Statement – Anachronisms can be attention grabbing so a writer may use them to make a point or add commentary to a situation. An example of this occurs in Cowboy Bebop when the major crime boss describes eating a synthetic steak because the Earth was destroyed, and real beef can no longer be found. This is an example of anachronism because at the time the show aired, lab-grown meats did not exist.
“Break the fourth wall” – This refers to the act of making a story more relatable by breaking through literal and metaphysical walls as occurs in Mel Brooks Blazing Saddles when the characters break through a wall and reveal a real Hollywood set.
Explain the types of Anachronism
While anachronisms can occur anytime in anyplace, i.e., everyday life, literature, or film, they are classified into 3 different types.
- Behavioral or cultural – This type of anachronism occurs when something archaic is brought into modern times for aesthetic purposes. Example: A modern Japanese soldier wearing traditional samurai attire from the Edo period.
- Parachronism – Anything that appears in the wrong time period. This can be a colloquial expression, a song, a language, or social custom. Example: A person using a washboard and basin in the present rather than a washing machine.
- Prochronism – Commonly referred to as the “impossible anachronism,” this type of anachronism should not be able to exist. A prochronism is something that occurs when something, such as an object or concept, is used in a literary work or movie before its invention. In this case, the “something” is literally impossible.
Anachronism in Literature 📚
An examination of literature reveals a great many examples of anachronism. For example, Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar is referred to as a “tyrant” but the word did not exist in between 44 and 42 BCE, the time of Caesar. Rather, the origin of the word tyrant can be traced to late 13th century Old English.
A similar error can be found in Homer’s The Odyssey. In the poem, Odysseus is described as wearing a “bronze helmet,” which was not invented until the 7th or 8th century, about the time the poem was written. However, The Odyssey is set around 1200 BCE, centuries before the Bronze Age.
Similar examples of this type of anachronism can be found in Virgil’s “The Inferno” and Milton’s Paradise Lost. In “The Inferno,” Dante is referred to as a “prophet,” a term that would not have been used during that time similarly in Paradise Lost, Satan is described as having a serpent’s tail, a trait not attributed to Satan until much later.
Anachronism in Film and Pop Culture 🎥
Turning to film, there are numerous examples of anachronism, some intentional, others not so much. One of the most notorious examples of anachronism occurred during one of the final episodes of Game of Thrones. And it aired. What are we referring to? The Starbucks cup.
Surprisingly, it was a fan who caught the error, not the editing team.
One of the most popular uses of anachronism in film often occurs in the soundtrack. In this clip from A Knight’s Tale (2001), Queen’s “We Will Rock You” plays over the opening scene.
If we’re being totally honest, though, there is so much historically wrong in this scene that it might be tempting to say the entire scene is an anachronism. Of course, there’s the obvious music choice but then there’s the dancing . . . In the time period depicted, the crowd would not have been dancing and that most certainly applies to the women who would have been deemed heretics for doing so. There’s also the lip syncing and stomping to the beat of the music. Who could have possibly known the beat, rhythm, and lyrics to “We Will Rock You” before it was recorded centuries later? And finally, while similar, much of the peasant garments are also wrong, but who’s judging. Since much of the film has a comedic element to it, we can only hope these details were just as intentional as the music choice.
When it comes to identifying anachronism in movie dialogue, it’s often less obvious. One such example occurs in Schindler’s List (1993). In the dialogue, the word “scam” is used. However, to be historically accurate and true, the character should have used the word “swindle.” Apparently, it doesn’t roll off the tongue as easily.
Often Confused With . . . 👥
For some reason, anachronisms are often confused with juxtaposition and archaism. To clarify, we’ve provided the definition of each.
- Juxtaposition – Occurs by placing two unrelated things side-by-side for comparison.
- Archaism – The use of outdated or out-moded language for a stylistic effect. To be fair, anachronisms often deal with language and linguistics so the confusion here can be somewhat justified.