Example
Reading public & rise of novel
- few extended prose fictns before 18th
- novel arose in 18th=extended prose fict. w/ interplay of char & plot
- Ian Watt looks to audience for upsurge
- turn of 18th brought new class of readers, but still pretty small
- purchasers of novels limited to 10,000
- popltn was about 6 mil; reading public 80,000 at end of 18th
- education limited
- for most, price out of reach
- is middle-class audience w/ some $ to spend
- after 1740 & w/ estab of circulating libraries (late '60s) audience expands, esp. w/ women
- now reader & leisure
- relatnshp of $ & timeā¦