Anachronism – Literary terms

Anachronism,Literary terms

 

Anachronism – Literary terms

An event, object, custom, person, or thing that is out of its natural order in time. Anachronisms abound in Shakespeare. A striking clock chimes in Julius Caesar, a PLAY set long before such clocks were invented. There is a reference to billiards in Antony and Cleopatra; the game did not appear until about the middle of the fifteenth century. Cannons are mentioned in King John, a play set in a time before they were in use. While these anachronisms are unintentional, others are consciously used to achieve humorous or satirical effects. For example, Mark Twain builds an entire novel on the sustained anachronism of A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.