A few years ago, this would have set me off on a rant about declining standards in education. Now, I'm just curious. The post is from a thread on another web board. Asief is a 17-yr-old in Cape Town, according to his profile:
In reply to:



Asief
My english teacher reccommended that we watch Hamlet before finals (literature's my first paper) as seeing it on stage may not have been enough. Yesterday, the Mel Gibson one was damaged at the video shop so we had to settle for what I'm assuming to be a British version.
Yet another British film that I hated, everything was so inaccurate from what we learned in class. If you don't know which one I'm referring to, the actors which I recognised were Kate Winslet (Ophelia) and Robin Williams.
It's really frustrating to see film makers who don't do their homework! eg: Men in early 19th century suits and oh yes, ELECTRICITY?!?!?!
maxqnz
That's not an anachronism, that's the setting for that particular production.
Asief
Thanks, you learn something new everyday... But I still didn't like the movie. One of the errors that had nothing to do with settings was Ophelia's virginity, but I guess there's no use stressing about it.

PS: I may be the only one in my class who has gotten an A for my lit paper in September exams but I have no idea what an "anachorism" is.
maxqnz
Anachronism: 1 : an error in chronology; especially : a chronological misplacing of persons, events, objects, or customs in regard to each other
2 : a person or a thing that is chronologically out of place; especially : one from a former age that is incongruous in the present

Is it really likely that a 17-year-old A-student would be unfamiliar with the word "anachronism"?


noho ora mai
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