Orthographical Change Flashcards
Did spellings become standardised? Were there still inconsistencies?
Spellings became standardised – so - less variations between commonly used words.
However, inconsistencies in spellings still occurred between writers, and even within texts.
The 1600 Hierarchy
You know it <3
1500
10% of male population were able to read or write; only 1% of women were counted as literate.
1600s
There was an elite of aristocrats, gentry and rich merchants who were almost totally literate – keep this in mind when considering who the writer was, and who they are speaking to in their writing.
1680s
30% of men were literate; 10% female
1770s
Shopkeepers were 95% literate. Most labourers could not read at all.
London and its literacy rates
The highest literacy levels were in London: female literacy rose from 22% in the 1670s to 66% in the 1720s.
This was due to Oxford and Cambridge and the fact it was the capital and hub of trade. And where the monarch lived.
What was literacy associated with?
Literacy was closely associated with social and economic position and with gender.
Tell me about the gentry, aristocrats and nobility?
Nobility, gentry and aristocrats comprised about 5% of the population; this elite was overwhelmingly male - as the producers and consumers of print culture, most authors came from these ranks.
What was the conventional views on women at the time? What broke these and who?
Conventional views at the time assumed that women were at all points subservient to males; and this was reflected through culture, attitudes and education.
However, some women from higher positions in s
ociety produced notable writing, in the form of poetry; many other women who wrote produced devotional/religious works.
What did female writers focus on, use explain their books. Did gender play a role?
Yes!! Gender played a significant part in shaping the text. Most female writers consciously chose to emphasise their feminine ‘weakness’ and ‘frailty’, judging correctly that the language of submission and humility was most likely to elicit a favourable response from male readers.
Lots of female writers wrote letters expand on these using GRAMPS?
Letters written were social, written to keep the writer in touch with family and friends, reinforce social bonds and pass on news that was often domestic or local, but might also include political, court and military news -subjects often regarded as essentially male.
What religious texts and other genres were popular?
Religious texts, such as those promoting the ideal Christian woman thrived, as did reports on criminals and their sentences.
Give examples of more genres of texts in 1600s.
Mythic tales
Popular stories to poems.
Phrasebooks, grammars
Devotional pieces (religious writing where writers often express their love and selfless affection to God).
