Print Culture: How Has It Shaped the World?

By Emma Yeo, Second Year English

The emergence of the printing press was nothing short of revolutionary. Since its mechanisation in Europe during the Renaissance, or even its origins dating back to the 14th century, the printed word has drastically improved society. The printing press facilitated information becoming accessible on a large scale, which enabled news and ideas to travel faster than ever before.

The roots of the printing press can be found in the Eastern hemisphere. Xylography, otherwise known as woodblock printing, is argued to be one of the first forms of printed press. This method, now known for its artistic use, was once used in China to print text and images on paper. It created words using movable woodblocks to print letters and characters. This form of production was also used in late 14th century Europe for the creation of religious texts and images.

An example of Xylography and the woodblocks used to produce it.

Unfortunately, this was unsuccessful as printing the roman alphabet from woodblocks was found to be a challenging and time-consuming task due to the roman alphabet’s intricacy. This issue contributes to the debate surrounding whether xylography was a progression in the development of printed press. Xylography had not been invented with the goal of spreading printed media, but as an extension of former methods of book production – thus, giving it an ambiguous position in the history of print culture. 

The most notable figure in the emergence of the printing press is Johannes Gutenberg – a German craftsman and inventor. Gutenberg, born in Mainz around 1400, is best known for having designed the first printing press in Europe. His experiments with printing began in Strasbourg in 1428. He concentrated his efforts on metal type, and by 1450, his printing press was functional and in operation due to the financial assistance of Johann Fust. His invention established printing with moveable type, including a metal alloy, oil-based ink, and a press, similar to those used previously for producing wine, oil, or paper.

Following this creation, Gutenberg printed an edition of the Bible on his printing press in 1455. This bible is believed to be the first complete extant book in the West. As the printing press was able to give a sharp impression and print on both sides of the paper, Gutenberg’s invention marked a stark improvement in comparison to previous methods of printing.

Gutenberg’s invention was groundbreaking and had numerous significant impacts upon contemporary society. The emergence of the printing press resulted in the costs of books lowering which made reading more accessible. This was also the case with news – newspapers enabled information of events to travel around the country and even the world. Awareness spread and the world as it was once known was changed forever. Without the printing press, newspapers would have taken years to produce - thus, this form of printed word was only made possible due to Gutenberg's technological advancements.

In England, 29 November 1641 marked the publication of the first newspaper. This newspaper was titled The Heads of Several Proceedings in the Present Parliament and was produced by John Thomas, a publisher and bookseller. The initial publication of this newspaper coincided with the eve of the civil war and tumultuous political circumstances. Its aim was to capture the political milieu by reporting upon both Houses of the Long Parliament through a ‘sober’ tone. This newspaper forged a place where political tensions could be discussed and explored; however, this was not simply a journalistic opportunity to recollect the week of politics, but an opportunity for competition.

Gutenberg’s printing press c. 1641.

Rival newspapers were established the week after the original publication. Richard Herne released two competitors -  A Continuation of the Most Remarkable Passages (26 November to 3 December) and Divrnall Occurrences, Truly Relating the Most Remarkable Passages (25 November to 5 December).  The following week yet another came out: The Divrnall, Or, The Heads of All the Proceedings in Parliament by John Wright and Thomas Bates. Over a short time, the number of newspapers multiplied and ‘a commercial roller-coaster’ began with rival papers competing to gain greater readership. 

This same competitive nature of news still exists today – but our views of print culture differ greatly from those of Renaissance Europe. Historically, the emergence of the printing press appeared as a promising innovation for the future, yet nowadays print culture is often seen as outdated. In recent years, we have seen a decline in print culture. Print readership and sales have fallen since the invention of the internet. Many newspapers are now struggling and threatened due to people being able to access news digitally. While big names, such as The Times, The Guardian, and The Sun, remain prominent throughout society, we must also confront the issue of plummeting print revenues, and the lack of profit from newspaper production.

As a result of this, the future of print culture is uncertain. Therefore, while the emergence of the printing press and the publication of the first newspaper mark significant historical events, we must question whether the legacy of print culture will continue a steady decline - or make a radical revival to solidify its position in the modern world.

Edited by Ben Bryant