Iconic international feminist writer Germine Greer, stole many hearts with her nuanced reading on Shakespeare's lovers here in a session that was liberally sprinkled with references to Bollywood. The Australian writer and academic, one of the star highlights of the three-day Hay Festival that began here on November 17, talked about how the English playwright's works was full of younger men wooing older women. "When it comes to wooing women, boys were much better at it than men," said Greer addressing the lecture "Shakespeare's lovers" at a fully-packed Palace Hall of the Kanakakannu Palace of the erstwhile royal family of Kerala.

"During the times of Shakespeare, young people did not hang around together or have a say in most matrimonial matches. They were initiated by friends or family ... marriage was a sort of negotiation just like in India," said Greer. The noted writer said the playwright's heroines "easily and readily give their hearts away and then do not think about taking it back. almost like in a Hindi movie situation". In Shakespeare, there was said to be a bubbling scandal in the royal courts with the Queen of England said to have an affair with the Duke, said the author.

"A young boy was wooing an older woman and this was on the minds of Londoners when Shakespeare was wooing his future wife," said Greer. "You may think that is odd that the lover is just out of school but actually that has never been the situation... As you can see Justin Beiber is a favourite with women and when you ask them when did they fall in love with him, you realise the actor was just 13."