Nestled in history is the world of piracy, too far away to fully reach, understand or associate with. These are remote stories containing horrific facts and impossible realities. It's no secret that piracy has found its way into Western pop culture; the romance of mystery and drama seems to follow any pirate image. Historically speaking, some scholars have rejected this romantic view, but for every academic voice there is a Jack Sparrow or a Long John Silver. Conflict surrounds the truth about piracy, as historians continue to view piracy in light of historical contexts, while social culture relies on a dramatized romantic view. For this reason, it is only when these studies and stories are brought together that a new vision develops. By analyzing texts, such as the primary source The Buccaneers of America by Exquemelin, The Wicked of All Nations by historian Marcus Rediker and the famous Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, romance and piracy are brought together and developed in surprising ways by historians and fiction writers. Treasure Island is one of the first texts to expose modern culture to the cinematic world of piracy. This text, rich in heroic themes and tantalizing twists, constitutes a striking example of romance in the world of pirates. Flipping through the pages, the reader comes across a short section titled “To the Hesitant Buyer.” It is under this title that the author describes Treasure Island as "all the old romance, told exactly in the old way." This text is an epic story of treasure, mystery, death, and victorious good. The plot itself centers on narrator Jim Hawkins, a boy who leaves his mother behind to find buried treasure, the existence of which is mysteriously discovered in the middle of a paper. Exquemelin's testimony. Rediker, a scholar, uses pirates as a symbol of a revolutionary cause not yet born in history; his own romantic vision. It is through these different points of view that romanticism about piracy is defined, protected and used to further the study of history. Perhaps pirates will always remain symbols for the academic and social world representing the possibility of life and the freedom desired by all. For this reason, pirates will remain beloved romantic figures for many decades.BibliographyExquemelin, Alexander O. The Buccaneers of America. Translated by Alexis Brown. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, INC., 1969. Rediker, Marcus. Villains of All Nations: The Pirates of the Atlantic in the Golden Age. Boston: Beacon Press, 2004. Stevenson, Robert L. Treasure Island. New York: Signet’s classics, 1965.