To let my 12yo DS read romantic poetry?

[Albatross454]

Hello mumsnetties. My DS is twelve years old and very mature for his age. He has aspergers and is quite gifted in his reading, eg read lord of the flies at about nine years old and is reading my copy of picture of Dorian Gray. He sometimes reads my copy of Shelley poetry and loves it. We both love poetry and at the moment he's reading Emily Dickinson, Christina rossetti and oscar Wilde. I'm just wondering if it's appropriate to let him read the Romantic Poets? I'm worried that he may get influenced by some of them, eg Coleridge was an opium addict and Byron had Affairs, Shelley preached radical politics and keats had anger problems, Blake hallucinate angels and wordsworth was arrogant! I have no problem with him reading the material (Though I'd be a bit concerned with Don juan) but he likes to research authors and I'm afraid that he may get influenced by them. AIBU????

I mean, do you seriously think your lad will become an opium addicted, serial womanising, political gobshite if he reads some poetry? Really? Or is this sort of weird stealth brag?

Mumsnetties 😂😂😂 oh OP, for that alone you’re going to get absolutely shafted.

Does he have an existing habit of emulating the lifestyles of writers he enjoys? If so keep an eye out for a sudden propensity for frilly shirts and strong urges to swim the Hellespont. If not, you can probably relax and let the lad enjoy himself.

Uh huh.

It’s fine. I was reading Stephen King by that age.

I'm not sure if this is for real (probably not) but on the off chance it is. Then yes ye can read romantic poets it's fine.

Has he shown any indication of emulating Oscar Wilde?
Is he mature enough to discuss that sometimes people make bad decisions?

Pffft.

I read Naked Lunch at 6. What's your point?

(ps, not really but I hate stealth boast posts)

Don’t think they actually documented their various misdemeanours in their poetry 😂

Sorry but “Wordsworth was arrogant” had me on the floor.

On a serious note, if you are worried give him free access to the poetry but maybe restrict the juicer biographies of the authors until he’s a bit older. Reading should always be encouraged.

With his Aspergers you probably need to be a lot more careful about what he reads. I know kids with Aspergers who wouldn’t be able to cope with some of the tragedy in classic poetry; or may view the drugs depicted as some kind of evidence that it’s okay. You need to talk about and have meaningful conversations about the things he reads to ensure he understands the material.

I don't enjoy poetry myself, but unless, for example, Coleridge wrote, "An Ode to Opium," I think your son will be ok. It's kind of an odd concern, actually.

Yeah if he wants to swim the Hellespont make sure he joins the official swim as the amount of commercial shipping makes it pretty hazardous now. There are some benefits to the modern world though, he's not gonna get banged up in Reading Gaol if he emulates the life and relationships of another of the authors.

I read day of the triffids at 10 -I didn't turn into a human attacking plant! (at 12 I pinched my sister's James Bond books & I didn't take up his martini shaking sex fuelled murderous life style either :) - I wish! & Harold Robbins books - funny enough my mum forbid me from James Bond but didn't appreciate what the Harold Robbins books were like!)

What's wrong with a bit of radical politics?

You can scoff but with the aspergers it is more likely he is going to turn himself into a mini byron requesting frilly shirts and pretentiously quoting to all and sundry. Other than being a bit embarrassing i don't think its much to worry about it OP.
It's not like opium is easy to get hold of.

oo maybe show him the horrible histories thing they did on Byron then he might realise he was just a bit of a nobhead

please don't generalize about how Aspergers affects people though (have adult dc) you may however get endless quotes & lectures!

I'm not sure how you could stop him reading the romantic poets even if you wanted to-the works are widely available in libraries and on the internet, so there would not be much point in getting rid of your own copies.

Loved your OP!

YANBU if you want to bore him to death.

You are happy to let him read stories about feral murderous children but worried about him reading poetry?

Blimey. Just make sure that conch shell is locked away safely, and I would suggest you hold back on visits to the city farm if they have a collection of heritage pigs.

DS read the Iliad by Homer aged five. Poor boy was somewhat confused and was expecting The Simpsons. He was fluent in classical Greek literature by the age of 6 of course.

I'd stop worrying and be grateful that he spends his time reading rather than playing video games. And you will probably be back in a couple of years asking how can I stop my 14 year old getting access to pornography? (spoiler alert-you can't).

I loved Keats and Shelley at that age and didn't die of consumption or abduct any teenage lovers in my adult life. I don't think that being a Romantic poet is catching.

I'm an aspie and was reading anything i could get my hands on at that age.
He's not going top get into drugs or womanising by reading fucking poetry
I also doubt very much he'll be asking for frilly shirts and quoting poetry to all and sundry
He's autistic - not fucking stupid!

At least he's self motivated to educate himself unlike some of the ignorant posters on here!

I’m not even sure what I’m not sure about.