What Is Steampunk? Definition, Origins, & Examples

The other day, I was watching a movie, and my wife asked me what genre it was supposed to be, and I had the hardest time describing it.

It was a historical movie with some science fiction and a lot of gadgets, and I finally just blurted out, I don’t know, it’s steampunk!

So, today, I’m going to go over the definition of steampunk, look at some examples, and clue you into the characteristics

Let’s dive in.

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Steampunk Definition

Steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction. It blends futuristic technology and aesthetics into 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery.

This balance of past and future creates an alternate timeline where storytellers can create their own interpretation of events and history.

Steampunk Characteristics

Honestly, like I said in the opening, the easiest way to define Steampunk is just to dive into the way it looks. Like if you see these things, you can assume you’re diving into the subgenre.

• Steam-powered technology: Steampunk emphasizes the use of steam power in machinery and invention from the Victorian era (roughly 1837-1901).
• Various Victorian aesthetics: Fashion, architecture, design, and cultural elements of the 19th century.
• Out of Place Tech: It features futuristic tech that is out of place in the historical setting. There’s zeppelins, gadgets, weapons, and other designs that don’t totally fit.
• Alternative history: Steampunk often explores “what if” scenarios, imagining how the world might have developed and how different historical events might have gone.

Steampunk Origins 

Authors Jules Verne and HG Welles wrote stories that had all the characteristics of this subgenre, but we didn’t actually get the term until the late 1980s when science fiction author K.W. Jeter introduced it.

At the time, it was supposed to be the direct opposite of the “cyberpunk” genre.

Eventually, the term grew and people took inspiration from those only works and crafted them into their own stories. The worldbuilding of steampunk grew.

Now, you can use it to inspire your own work.

Steampunk Examples

The world of steampunk is all over film and TV, so there are plenty of prime examples of how it’s used.

Let’s check out a few specific examples.

Steampunk Films:

• The Prestige (2006):
  • Christopher Nolan’s rival magician movie takes place in Victorian-era London, with a focus on elaborate illusions and technological secrets. While not purely steampunk, it heavily incorporates the era’s technology and a sense of wonder.
• Hugo (2011):
  • This visually rich Martin Scorsese movie, tells the story of a boy living in a Paris train station and we get a ton of Steampunk tech. It showcases intricate clockwork mechanisms and a nostalgic view of early cinema.
• Wild Wild West (1999):
  • This is my go-to example. It’s a lighthearted take on steampunk, with a blend of Western and science fiction elements, and a ton of extravagant steam-powered gadgets, including a giant spider.
• Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001):
  • The movie that caused this post, there’s a fantastic underwater world with advanced, steam-powered tech that feels right out of a Jules Verne novel.

Steampunk TV Shows:

• Arcane (2021-present):
  • This animated series on Netflix, based on the “League of Legends” universe, presents a visually stunning blend of steampunk and other fantasy elements. It is widely praised for its art style and storytelling.
• Murdoch Mysteries (2008-present):
  • This Canadian television series, set in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, features a detective who uses advanced (for the time) forensic techniques, often involving inventive gadgets.
• The Legend of Korra (2012-2014):
  • This animated series, a sequel to “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” is set in a world that has advanced technologically, featuring a distinct steampunk aesthetic in its urban environments and technology.
• His Dark Materials (2019-2022):
  • This series has strong steampunk elements, especially with the airships and other various technologies that are shown.

Summing Up Steampunk 

Hopefully, this post will guide you in the right direction for the next time you’re trying to define steampunk. And if you’re working on an idea in this world, it leads you down the right road for exploiting all the points of the subgenre.

Let me know what you think in the comments.