| Play | Key Line | Modern Text | Original Text |
| Coriolanus | Cor IV.vi.128 | As if he were his officer. Desperation | As if he were his Officer: Desperation, |
| Hamlet | Ham I.iv.75 | The very place puts toys of desperation, | |
| Hamlet | Ham III.ii.228 | To desperation turn my trust and hope, | |
| The Tempest | Tem I.ii.210 | Some tricks of desperation. All but mariners | Some tricks of desperation; all but Mariners |