I don't think it's silly of you to bring this up. In fact I think it's crucial to reexamine nonconsensual stuff in fiction, even kids' fiction. But I don't think I agree with your conclusion here.
It's true: in the real world a forced marriage is more or less explicitly rapey.
But at some point we as a society decided that in light works of fantasy we don't need to really need to follow every single thing to its logical real-world conclusion.
I mean, was there rape in Super Mario Brothers? The antagonist is quite the princess-kidnapper.
It's true: in the real world a forced marriage is more or less explicitly rapey.
But at some point we as a society decided that in light works of fantasy we don't need to really need to follow every single thing to its logical real-world conclusion.
I mean, was there rape in Super Mario Brothers? The antagonist is quite the princess-kidnapper.