impacts and innovations Flashcards
general impacts/ what was the print rev?
-development, new way of producing books
-transformed the lives of the people
-changed relationship with institutions and authorities (monarchy, rcc)
-influenced popular perceptions
-opened up new ways of looking at things
how did a new reading public come into being?
reduced cost of books
less time and labor
multiple copies with greater ease
books flooded the market
earlier, reading was restricted to elites; common people heard sacred texts read out loud, ballads recited, and folk tales narrated as there were less no of books and expensive
now, from a hearing public, a new reading public came into being
transition from hearing to reading public / how did oral culture enter print?
rates of literacy in Europe were low
to persuade common people to welcome books, printers began publishing ballads and folk tales illustrated with pictures which were sung and recited at taverns in towns
print was orally transmitted- the hearing public and the reading public became intermingled
fear of print
and protestant reformation
print introduced a new world of debate and discussion and allow circulation of wide range of ideas
the church and aristocracy feared that rebellious and heretical thoughts will spread
authority of ‘valuable’ lit would be destroyed
a religious reformer, MARTIN LUTHER, wrote NINETY-FIVE THESES in 1517 criticizing practices of the Roman Catholic Church
read widely, leading to a division within the church and the beginning of the protestant reformation, a movement to reform the catholic church dominated by Rome
print and dissent/ how did the roman church start maintaining control over publishers?
pritn and pop religious lit stimulated many diff interpretations of faith
Menocchio, a miller in Italy reinterpreted the message of the bible and formulated a view of god and creation that enraged the rcc.
Rcc began inquisition to repress heretical ideas and Menocchio was executed
Imposed control over publishers and booksellers and maintain INDEX OF PROHIBITED BOOKS FROM 1558
what were the new forms of popular literature?
[literacy rates were as high as 60-80% as churches of diff levels set up schools in villages, there was a virtual reading mania
booksellers employed pedlars who roamed around villages carrying little books for sale]
*ALMANACS- first form of literature
*ritual calendars, ballads, folktales
*PENNY CHAPBOOKS in England were sold for a penny to poor
*BILIOTHEQUE BLEUE in France on poor quality paper and cheap blue covers
*Romances on 4-6 pages and substantial histories
serialized novels, newspapers, and journals
tremble therefore tyrants of the world
books means of spreading progress and enlightenment
could change the world and liberate society from tyranny
louise Sebastien MERCIER a novelist in 18th c france declared that the printing press is the most powerful engine of progress and public opinion is the force that will sweep despotism away
in his novels heroes were transformed by acts of reading
therefore convinced in the power of print he proclaimed so
how have historians argued that print culture led to the french rev?
1) print popularised the ideas of enlightenment thinkers such as Voltaire and Rousseau which provided a critical commentary on tradition, superstition, and despotism and argued for the rule of reason over custom.
2) Created a new culture of dialogue and debate where all values, norms, and institutions were re-evaluated. Within this public culture, new ideas of social rev came into being
3) By the 1780s there was an outpouring of lit mocking royalty and criticizing their morality which raised q about the existing social order. Cartoons and caricatures suggested that the monarchy remained absorbed only in sensual pleasures while the public struggled which lead to the growth of hostile sentiments against monarchy.
Children books in 19th c
primary education became compulsory therefore children became an imp category of readers and the production of school tbs became critical.
Children’s press was set up in France in 1857
Grimm Brothers of Germany compiled traditional folk tales gathered from peasants and edited and published them in 1812
how women and workers becomes imp readers and writers in the 19th c
Women: became imp readers and writers
Penny magazines taught proper behaviour and housekeeping
Novelists- Jane Austen, Bronte Sisters, Geroge Eliot whose writings defined a new type of woman- will, individualistic, determined, with power to think and strength of personality.
Lending libraries in eng educated white collar workers, artisans and lower middle class. self educated workers wrote for themselves
after working day shortened, they wrote political tracts and autobiographies
innovations in printing tech
1) Power-driven cylindrical press by Richard M Hoe of New York that was capable of printing 8000 sheets per hour, used for printing newspapers
2) Offset press- six colours at a time
3) Electrically operated press which accelerated printing
4) methods of feeding paper improved, quality of plates, automatic paper reels.
what were the new strategies developed by printers and publishers to sell their products?
1) serialised novels
2) shilling series
3) dust cover or the book jacket
4) cheap paperback editions to sustain buying despite the Great Depression
