The setting may be out of time, but speaks to the present, as the villagers’ conservatism manifests as rejection, suspicion and persecution — treating outsiders or non-conformists as an invading pathogen.
—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
12 Apr. 2026
The solace and the pathos in Updike’s and Rosenberg’s work come from realizing that in many cases, conformists can’t win either.
The Shapiros were accused by some followers of bringing Kala into their family for financial gain.
—
Lisa Respers France,
CNN Money,
2 Aug. 2026
In The Bacchae, Dionysus becomes violent only because his existence has been denied and his followers persecuted, and his maenads similarly become destructive only when pursued.
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