论近代英国阅读文化的发展

中世纪早期,英国的阅读文化和其他文化现象一样受到宗教文化的制约而发展缓慢,但到中世纪晚期时,随着文艺复兴和宗教改革运动在英国的兴起,阅读文化凭借着民族语言——英语的普遍运用而得到较快地发展。阅读文化的发展促进着思想和知识的传播,提高了民众的文化素养,有利于加强文化联系而塑造共同的文化心理,也推动了近代民族国家形成和发展的进程。阅读文化的发展也推动了图书出版制度的变革,而图书出版制度的变革又进一步解放了阅读文化,使阅读文化逐步走向繁荣。阅读文化的发展对于知识的传播、思想的培育、道德的培养、技术的传承和整个社会精神面貌的塑造都有着非常重要的意义,而所有这些都汇聚成文化的力量推动着英国近代社会的发展进步与国家的崛起。

British Reading Culture in the Modern Times

In the early years of Middle Ages, like other cultural phenomenon, the British reading culture developed very slowly because of the religious culture restriction. However, by the time of the late Middle Ages, with the rise of the Renaissance and religious reform movement in the UK, reading culture got faster development due to the widespread use of English--the national language of Britain. The development of reading culture promoted the spread of ideas and knowledge, improved the people's cultural quality, enhanced culture ties, shaped the common cultural psychology and promoted the process of the formation and development of the modern nation-state. Reading cultural development also promoted the change of book publishing system, which further liberated the reading culture, making reading culture gradually move towards prosperity. Reading culture development played an important role in the spread of knowledge, the cultivation of the thoughts and morality, the transmission of technology and the shape of the whole social spirit. All factors mentioned above turned into the power of culture to promote the development and progress of modern society and the nation’s rise.