ABSTRACT
Western attitudes concerning emotion expression are notoriously ambivalent. This ambivalence reveals itself in the plethora of vigorously defended but contra-dictory opinions in philosophical and literary texts as to whether emotions should be freely expressed or carefully checked. On the one hand, as in Lawrence’s quote, we are admonished to freely and directly express the emotions we have. On the other hand, as in Rochefoucauld’s quote, we are told that it is wise to conceal the emotions we have.
