Julia Tanaka
A trope is a familiar thematic idea that can be seen in many stories across the genre, but each with their own characters, settings, plot, and spirit. In romance, tropes are things like friends-to-lovers, Grumpy vs Sunshine and Love Triangles. They can be entertaining and fun; however,they can also be quite dangerous, especially with tropes that are not morally acceptable in normal society. In this essay, I will be discussing one romantic trope that is quite controversial and in my opinion, should be less used in society: abduction as romance.
The trope of abduction as romance is stereotypically written as a man who kidnaps a woman who eventually falls in love with the man. I find this trope highly concerning, as it perpetuates harmful misconceptions about romance and glamorises a very serious crime. You can see this trope through different types of media; books, movies, TV shows, etc. A good example of this is the very famous and beloved movie “Beauty and the Beast ”. In the movie, we see Belle, forced to sacrifice herself, as the Beast has captured her father and won’t let him go until he has imprisoned Belle in his castle. This, already, is not very romantic. However, later on we see that the two start to fall in love, the Beast giving Belle his own personal library and the two eventually getting married, revealing a handsome gentleman that used to be the Beast. Most children watch this movie when they are younger and don’t seem to have a problem with it. But as those children grow older, they may notice how this type of romance should not be popularised, especially by a big company like Disney.
Some movie critics say that this was not the Beast’s fault, as Belle suffered from Stockholm Syndrome, which is a psychological phenomenon where a kidnapping victim comes to sympathise with their kidnapper. Yet, I believe this argument focuses on blaming the victim rather than the abductor, who has committed the crime. In the movie, we see how the Beast is the one who verbally berates her, forbids her from eating, and keeps her in a small cell. For example, when Belle declines the Beast’s dinner invitation, The Beast says, “You’ll come out or I’ll break down the door!” (Beauty & Beast 35:03-07). He then shouts, “If she doesn’t eat with me, she doesn’t eat at all!” (Beauty & Beast 35:46-52). Additionally, when the Beast discovers Belle in the West Wing, to which she was forbidden, he yells, “Do you realise what you could have done!?” (Beauty & Beast 46:31-36) and destroys the surrounding furniture. Despite all of this abusive behaviour, the Beast is still framed as a mysterious and misunderstood man and in the end, he still “gets the girl”, which gives a harmful message to young boys, who might watch this movie and think that aggression is the way to win over girls. Especially at a young age, this can brainwash young children into resorting to violence to get what they want.
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AbductionIsLove, The phrase ‘picking up women’ has an interesting etymology.
Most writers or screenwriters use abduction as romance because kidnapping scenarios provide an easy way to bring two very unlikely characters together. Yet, these narratives are based on situations where the man violates the women’s rights and autonomy and are then rewarded with a romantic relationship.
In conclusion, while it’s valid to appreciate the themes of redemption and seeing the good in others within narratives like “Beauty and the Beast,” it’s crucial to acknowledge the broader implications of romanticising abduction. I suggest considering the potential implications of media that glamorises abuse and criminal activity associated with romance. If you are looking for alternative romance media, maybe try enemies-to-lovers, which offers a healthier portrayal of relationships that experience growth and overcome adversity. There are so many good movies to watch that portray this trope in very exciting ways such as “10 Things I Hate about You” and even “Mulan”. Through such choices, we contribute to a more positive cultural environment surrounding romance in the media.
Julia Tanaka