The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 8 of 9]

by William Shakespeare

Pope reads:

'Oh Desdemona! Desdemona! dead, dead! Oh! Oh!'

This is adopted by Theobald, Hanmer, Warburton and Johnson.

Capell reads:

'O Desdemone! dead, Desdemone? dead? dead?
O, o, o!'

Steevens (1773) has:

'Oh Desdemona! Desdemona! dead!
Dead! oh! oh! oh!'

This reading is followed by Steevens himself in his later editions, Malone, Rann, the Variorum editors, Singer and Harness. Mr Knight reads substantially with the first Folio: Mr Collier follows the Quartos.

Mr Dyce reads: