A Study Of Literati In Grab Street In The Industrial Revolution

Grub Street, located in Morefield of west London, is famous for its news publishing industry. In 1630, “Grub Street” first appeared in the poem of John Tyler’s. In the period of Restoration of the Stuart, the meaning of this word was determined, referring to news publishing industry, journalist, political pamphlet, and other authors of immediate publications which were called “Grub Street Literati”. At early stage, the “Grub Street Literati” lived so poor a life that they had to write for livelihood from which they got unstable income and the more they wrote the much reward they would get. They were called “Grub Street Hacker” who were engaged in low literary activities and so enjoyed a low reputation as well as sneered by people.In the Industrial Revolution period, the all-around reform in English provided new chance for Grub Street’s development. With the development of news publishing industry, the structure of Grub Street Writers was more complex and the number of writers was increasing. However, their living conditions did not changed in the all-around development. Living in strike of mass writing, most writers still lived a poor life and wrote for livelihood as before which forced them to loan for living. But the following jail life duo to their inability to pay their debts became their haunted incubus and did great harm to their mind and body. Still, these writers made changes in news publishing industry of the street complied with great revolution in economy and politic in English. Under their great efforts, the street news publishing industry made huge progress. Meanwhile, these writers made great contribution to the formation of democratic awareness in English even Europe by spreading the ideas of freedom and democracy depending on the immense impact of news media. They even had their own voice, criticizing recent social affairs and government, which played an important role in driving social development in that period.As a habitation of modern English lower class literati, center of news publishing industry, crucial bourgeoisie domain, left significant impact on English society at that time. Study on the composition of writers and their living conditions on Grub Street at that time can not only peep at the composition of English writers and their living conditions at the industrial revolution period but also see the economic and cultural changes in English even Europe in the changing period. Through studying Grub Street in the industrial period, the author hopes to broaden our view on domestic research and provide some experience for city construction in China when the society is in transforming and developing period.