For a paper on this topic, the following works provide diverse perspectives:
: Historical records show that enslavers frequently forced enslaved couples together for "breeding" purposes, a practice that fundamentally stripped them of romantic autonomy. longmint sex slave full
: These accounts, such as those by Frederick Douglass or Harriet Jacobs, often contrasted the impossibility of true romance under chattel slavery with the deep-seated familial and marital roots enslaved people fought to maintain. For a paper on this topic, the following
: In some narratives, like those discussed in JSTOR's The Subject of Romance Revisited , romance is framed as an "unavoidable aspect of human life" that enslaved people maintained in secret to reclaim their humanity from a society that denied them the space for it. Recommended Reading for Further Study Recommended Reading for Further Study : Contemporary tropes
: Contemporary tropes in "captive romance" or "omegaverse" stories often use slavery as a high-stakes setting for "slow burn" emotional development. Popular examples include C.S. Pacat’s Captive Prince . Historical Realities vs. Fictional Tropes
Historical analysis often complicates the "romance" found in fiction by examining the power dynamics and lack of consent inherent in these relationships.
Romanticized depictions of slavery generally fall into three distinct categories based on their intent and historical context: