Quick Summary
William Caxton's establishment of England's first printing press at Westminster in 1476 revolutionized literature by standardizing the London dialect, preserving key medieval texts like Chaucer's and Malory's works, and democratizing access to knowledge. His role as printer-translator-editor helped transition England from manuscript to print culture, fueling the Renaissance and shaping national identity. Caxton's commercial and editorial choices fundamentally prepared the English language and readership for the literary flourishing of the Elizabethan era.