The Reading Revolution Of The 1800s - Powered By People Reading Aloud

There were practical reasons for reading books aloud. “Domestic lighting was primitive, and prohibitively expensive. Why strain the eyes with insufficient light and small print when a single person with a well-lit book could do the work of many?” Also, eyeglasses were rare until late in the 18th century, so it made sense for a person with good eyesight to read to people whose eyesight was poor. And reading aloud was a way of entertaining others—including people who were illiterate and could not read for themselves—while they were doing housework.

Article source here:Arts Journal