How Did the Print Bring the Reading Public and Hearing Public Closer?

Earlier the society was divided into the oral culture and reading culture. The common people had the oral culture while only the rich people had the reading culture. The common people heard the texts collectively which were read out or recited or narrated to them.

The reading culture was only limited to the elites and they only read the books individually and silently. The reason behind this culture may be the books were expensive, produced less in numbers and also the literacy rate was very low in most of the European countries.

To solve the problem of illiteracy as a barrier in the wider reach of the printed books, the popular ballads and folk tales beautifully illustrated with pictures were published which were sung and recited in the village gatherings and the taverns in towns.

Hence the line separating the oral culture and the reading culture started becoming blurred.