Final answer:
Authors reached the middle class primarily through the invention of the printing press, which allowed for widespread distribution of literature. This, combined with the rising literacy rates and access provided by lending libraries and reading clubs, as well as the standardization of languages, greatly expanded the availability and consumption of literature for the middle class.
Step-by-step explanation:
Authors reached the middle class with their writing during periods when the traditional powers such as church authorities and monarchies declined, leaving room for the growth of the middle class and their interest in art and literature.
One significant development in this context was the invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg. The printing press facilitated a broader distribution of literature, dramatically increasing the availability of written works. Printed materials were no longer just for the elite, and with the rise of literacy rates among the middle class, the consumption of literature expanded.
In addition to technological advancements, the rise of capitalist merchants also influenced the spread of written works to the middle class. They, driven by the new profit motives of the burgeoning capitalist economy, saw the potential in broadening the readership beyond the traditionally privileged classes.
This period also saw the creation of lending libraries and reading clubs, which made books more accessible to the broader public, thereby increasing literacy levels among the middle class.
The shift toward a modern nation-state system, the growing leisure time available due to the Industrial Age, and the standardization of languages for mass consumption also played crucial roles in propelling literature into the hands of the middle class.
However, access to print culture was initially limited by factors such as low literacy rates and expensive books, indicating that despite these advancements, there remained obstacles to a fully democratized literary culture until much later.