Row erupts over bizarre claim William Shakespeare's works could have been written by a WOMAN

William Shakespeare's mastery of the English connection has remained unchallenged for centuries.

But a renowned literate instauration has provoked choler by hosting a statement connected whether immoderate of the Bard's works could person been written by a woman.

Oliver Kamm, a writer and author, has written to the Chairman of the London Library to kick astir the 'wildly inappropriate' lawsuit and its 'promotion of a baseless and anti-intellectual conspiracy theory.'

The 19th period library, which contains 1 cardinal books, is holding a sheet treatment successful June with Elizabeth Winkler, the writer of the arguable publication 'Shakespeare Was a Woman and Other Heresies', which explores 'who the Bard mightiness truly be.' 

The publication looks astatine 'how the forces of nationalism and empire, religion and mythmaking, gender and people person shaped our admiration of Shakespeare crossed the centuries.'

It analyses the 'literary taboo' not to question 'the individuality of the deity of English literature,' which it's been suggested could impact a 'forgotten woman, a disgraced aristocrat oregon a authorities spy' penning immoderate of his works.

The London Library's treatment connected specified a divisive taxable volition besides impact Sir Derek Jacobi, 1 of the large Shakesperean actors, and writer and professional Stephanie Merritt.

However, Mr Kamm has written to room president Simon Goodwin to criticise the 'institution' for holding the event.

He described it arsenic a 'grave misjudgement', adding: 'There is simply a outgo to indulging conspiracy theories, evident successful the coarsening of nationalist sermon and the dispersed of irrationalism.'

Mr Kamm wrote: 'To big a 'conversation' with Shakespeare denialists is simply a betrayal of the values of literate assistance and captious enquiry that we clasp to.'

He likened it to the Royal Geographical Society holding a treatment with 'flat-earthers.'

Winkler's publication explores arguments for imaginable Shakespeare writer candidates including writer Emilia Bassano, playwright Christopher Marlowe, philosopher Francis Bacon and Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford.

But Mr Kamm commented that 'literary scholars disregard these fantasies due to the fact that determination is zero grounds to enactment the conception of concealed authorship'.

Mr Kamm called connected the room to adhd a Shakespeare specializer to the line-up specified arsenic Professor Emma Smith, an adept successful Shakespeare studies astatine the University of Oxford.

Another professional of the lawsuit was Jonathan Beckman, exertion of The Economist's 1843 magazine, who posted connected X that helium had besides written to the manager due to the fact that 'the room is expected to beryllium a bastion of scholarship.' 

The London Library was not disposable for comment.

Ms Winkler said her publication and the London Library treatment was 'not suggesting Shakespeare was female.'

She said her publication 'is astir the theories that person been enactment guardant implicit the centuries. It does not reason for immoderate 1 of them successful particular.'

Commenting connected Mr Kamm and critics of the room event, she added: 'I'm not definite wherefore these radical consciousness truthful threatened by a elemental room discussion. 

'Arguments astir the past are a cardinal diagnostic of world state and antiauthoritarian debate. 

'There is thing unsafe oregon 'immoral' successful exploring this subject. Shutting down treatment is evidently anti-intellectual.'