Historical Fiction Versus Modern Fiction: Understanding the Difference

When do we consider something a period piece? Historical fiction is a genre of literature that evokes the past. When we think about period pieces, certain places and points in time tend to come to mind for many readers. If you love to read works of fiction that transport you to another time, join us as we delve into what makes historical and modern fiction.

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When do we consider fiction “historical"?

Or, how far back should a piece of fiction be set to be considered “historical"? Some might say there have to be decades between the reader and the period when the work is set. The Historical Novel Society sets the standard as “written fifty years after the events described.” Ultimately, works in the genre of historical fiction aim to immerse the reader in an age that has passed—even though they don’t always guarantee historical accuracy.

Drawing a line between the past and present is also a part of classifying “historical” and “modern” fiction. Just like with historical fiction, the question of what period words like “modern” and “contemporary” are supposed to refer to is also a tricky one. Many consider the post–World War II period the start of the “modern” age. 

Setting a work of fiction in another time, whether past or future, is a good example of defamiliarization, a literary device that turns the world we know into something strange or unfamiliar. With the leaps in technology and culture we’ve made in just the last few years, the world of the 1950s might appear completely alien to someone born in the early 2000s.

What comes to mind when we think about period pieces? 

Both pop culture and world history remain dominated by Western influence. As a result, the images we usually associate with period pieces tend to come from historical periods in Europe or the United States of America. We could probably name about ten films and series about the Tudor dynasty alone. 

Numerous historical dramas come from and are set in other countries. They tell the stories of characters who lived during events like the Warring States period, the Meiji Restoration period, and many more. However, they are usually referred to as historical dramas rather than period pieces. 

While this might have to do with who coined the term "period piece," it raises the question of whether period pieces might actually be a subgenre within historical fiction. All period pieces are historical dramas, but are all historical dramas period pieces?

It's all about perspective 

While there aren't any official rules on when to draw the line between historical and modern fiction, how writers play with readers' perceptions of old and new is fascinating to explore. It’s both strange and exciting to think that the world we see around us might someday set the stage for what future generations of readers consider "period pieces."

Listen in full to Creatinuum Episode 76: What Makes a "Period Piece"?: On Historical vs. Modern Fiction available on Simplecast, Spotify, Apple, and other platforms.