William Caxton's Influence on English

William Caxton was a merchant, diplomat, writer, and most notably the first English printer. Even though his place and date of birth are uncertain, historians have ample amounts of evidence to prove English literature was always a prominent part of his life. His literary career began with his apprenticeship to Robert Large, a rich mercer and later the mayor of London. Upon Large's death, Caxton was given a small sum of money and moved to Brugge where he became an influential member of the English trading community. It was during this span of 30 years where Caxton turned his focus to literature. It was during his travel to Cologne where he discovered the printing press. He abruptly moved back to Brugge, opened a printing press in France, and printed "Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye," the first book printed in English. With this newly acquired knowledge of printing, Caxton moved back to England and set up press in Westminster in 1476. This was the era when Caxton started to have a real affect on the English language. Four fifths of his works were translated and printed in English. In his life, he was known to print 108 works, 87 which were different titles. Because the English language was rapidly changing, Caxton was facing problems of language standardization and incorrect and confusing translations between English and French. Despite these hurdles, Caxton is now credited with starting to close the gap between spoken and written language. Through his printings, he regulated syntax and inflection, and expanded the English vocabulary. His successors, like Richard Pynson, furthered these advancements towards an even more stable English language. The books Caxton printed were intended for a variety of readers, he printed both commissioned books for kings and nobility and books of chivalric romance, conduct, morality, history, and philosophy intended for the public. He also printed nearly all the English literature available to him in his time: Canterbury Tales (1478) and other poems by Chaucer, John Gower’s Confessio amantis (1483), Sir Thomas Malory’s Morte Darthur (1485), and much of John Lydgate. Although there is no specific date of Caxton's death, it is clear he was an important influence on the English language.