GROWTH OF PRESS
There were certain inventions and discoveries which contributed in the great movement of Renaissance. Of these the most important one was the invention of printing press.
The art of printing was introduced in Europe by John Gutenberg of Germany in 1455 and in a few years’ time presses were established in every important town of western and central Europe. The first Latin Bible was printed in 1455 at Mainz in Germany. The art of printing reached Italy in 1465, Switzerland in 1467, France in 1470, and Spain in 1474.
The first printing press in England was established in 1476 by William Caxton at Westminster. The next few years saw the establishment of presses in many towns of England. Oxford press was opened in 1478. The first printing press in London was set up in 1480.
The immediate effect of the printing press was that books became cheaper and more plentiful. In the Middle Ages, the production of books was a slow process because they had to be produced by copyists of the monasteries, and naturally enough, knowledge was confined to the four walls of monasteries. With the advent of press, knowledge could now be spread far and wide which in turn fostered questioning attitude.
It is significant that Caxton enjoyed the patronage of feudal lords as well as the wealthy merchants of towns. He had learned and gained practical experience in the newly invented art of printing. As a result of Caxton’s enterprise, the cheap and rapid production of books carried education to a wide circle. It also helped the diffusion of culture by printing popular works like The Canterbury Tales, Confessio Amantis, and Morte d’Arthur.
Caxton’s services to English language are considerable. He realized the need of standardizing the language by creating a national language out of the many dialects. In short, his contribution to English prose was greater than any other prose-writers.