George Washington University Unpinning Desdemona Author(s): Denise A. Walen Source: Shakespeare Quarterly, Vol. 58, No. 4 (Winter, 2007), pp. 487-508 Published by: Folger Shakespeare Library in association with George Washington University Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4625012 . Accessed: 22/03/2013 08:40 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp . JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact
[email protected]. Folger Shakespeare Library and George Washington University are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Shakespeare Quarterly. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 140.233.2.215 on Fri, 22 Mar 2013 08:40:27 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions Unpinning Desdemona DENISEA. WALEN ONE OF THE MORE STRIKING DIFFERENCES betweenthe quarto(1622) and the FirstFolio (1623) texts of Othellois in the scene(4.3) thatpresages Desdemona'smurder as Emiliaundresses her and prepares her for bed. While F unfoldsthrough a leisurely112 linesthat include the WillowSong, Q clips alongwith only 62 lines,cutting the sceneby nearlyhalf.1 These two versions also differthematically. F presentsboth Desdemonaand Emiliaas complex characters.By delvingdeeply into her feelings,it portraysan activeand tragically nuancedDesdemona and raisesempathy for her with its psychologicalexpos6.