Addendum: "The thing that worries me most about SCP-XXXX is that we have no idea who had their hands on it before we obtained it, or what changes they made. At this point, we have no way of knowing that Shakespeare actually wrote any of his accredited works." -Dr P█████████

Procedure: SCP-XXXX was placed into SCP-826 by Dr. P█████████. Results: Dr. P█████████ found himself within The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, in the midst of Act II, Scene I. Dr. P█████████ entered the Senate chambers in hopes of finding SCP-826. While hidden in the shadows, the alarm on Dr. P█████████'s phone went off, creating the sound of a clock tower bell. Two of the characters noticed it, but thought that it was the sound of a clock. Dr. P█████████ found SCP-826 in the Senate library and exited into the research team's room. SCP-XXXX, and all copies of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, now contain a clock chiming, which scholars attribute to Shakespeare's use of anarchronism. Follow-up: Due to potential complications with SCP-826 , the change to The Tragedy of Julius Caesar was made permanent. Dr. P█████████ was reprimanded by Dr. Edison for allowing his phone to go off.

Procedure: Romeo and Juliet was rewritten with both Romeo and Juliet as male characters. Results: After producing Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare was tried for vulgarity and executed before he could write any of his later plays. This did not cause the remaining plays to disappear from SCP-XXXX. Follow-up: Romeo and Juliet was returned to its original state, although with noted reluctance from Dr. P█████████.

Procedure: Twenty pages from SCP-1025 were added to SCP-XXXX by D-class personnel supervised by Dr. P█████████. Results: Shakespeare is now well-known for his contributions to modern medicine. In addition, rates of hypochondria are now 45% higher. Follow-up: The pages were returned to SCP-1025 . Hypochondria rates returned to normal.

Procedure: A copy of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman was added to the back of SCP-XXXX, replacing the author name with William Shakespeare. Results: The play is on record as having never been performed at the Globe due to the actors being unable to understand it. Miller's version was still published; however, when the original manuscript of Death of a Salesman was found in a Stratford basement, doubt was cast on Miller's authorship of the work. Conspiracy theorists interpreted this as a sign that Shakespeare and/or Miller were time travelers, while most wrote it off as a publicity stunt. The original manuscript was obtained by the Foundation in 19██ and replaced with a duplicate. It is also stored at Site-28. Follow-up: The copy of Death of a Salesman was removed from SCP-XXXX and summarily destroyed. Attribution of the play to Arthur Miller remained as normal. Interestingly, the Stratford manuscript remains in its container at Site-28.

Procedure: The first and second acts of Romeo and Juliet were switched in placement in SCP-XXXX. Results: Romeo and Juliet remains one of Shakespeare's most famous works, but the second act comes before the first. Literary critics now consider Shakespeare to be the inventor of the technique of flashback. Follow-up: Romeo and Juliet returned to original state.

Procedure: The fourth and fifth acts of Hamlet were removed and placed in the box for instances of SCP-XXXX-A. Results: Hamlet is still considered to have been written by Shakespeare, but never finished, and most historians agree that Shakespeare began writing it and abandoned the project. The fourth and fifth acts have not been found. Follow-up: Fourth and fifth acts of Hamlet returned to SCP-XXXX.

Procedure: Various lines from Cymbeline had their phrasing changed. Results: All other texts had the same line changes. Literary criticism of Cymbeline remained mostly unchanged, with the exception of changes to some citations. No other effects. Follow-up: Because none of the scientists originally involved remembered the original lines, the changes to Cymbeline were left as is. This test was what led to the installation of the computer in SCP-XXXX's room so that the results of future experiments could be undone.

If new pages are written and glued into SCP-XXXX, they become canonically the work of Shakespeare. Pages removed from SCP-XXXX (hereby referred to as instances of SCP-XXXX-A) become attributed to other authors, and alterations to instances of SCP-XXXX-A have the same effect as alterations to SCP-XXXX. If instances of SCP-XXXX-A were pages added to SCP-XXXX, this effect does not occur. A full record of experiments involving SCP-XXXX is below. The spine of SCP-XXXX also expands to fit any pages that are added to it.

Description: SCP-XXXX is a red leather-bound book containing all works written by English playwright and author William Shakespeare, dated 1807. On the cover are the words "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare". Although the font is that of a standard English typewriter from 1863, the text of the book is entirely composed of graphite. The anomalous nature of SCP-XXXX becomes apparent when one writes in or erases any portion of the book. Alterations to any part of the book also alter the text of all copies of the work in question, as well as the memories of all persons who had previously known the unaltered version of the work. Literary criticism of the work in question also changes to reflect the alterations to SCP-XXXX. In fact, the only documents related to the altered work that remain the same appear to be the Foundation's logs regarding SCP-XXXX due to the fact that they refer to SCP-XXXX and not the works themselves.

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-XXXX is to be contained in an underground room at Site-28, within a glass case. A similar-sized box for instances of SCP-XXXX-A is located nearby. A computer with records of all changes to SCP-XXXX and copies of each play contained within SCP-XXXX prior to experimentation is contained in the room to avoid confusion. To avoid being affected by SCP-XXXX's anomalous effects, the log prefaces each play with "SCP-XXXX originally read:".

Original version of SCP-2276

Item #: SCP-2276

Object Class: Safe

Special Containment Procedures:

SCP-2276 is contained in an underground room at Site-28, within a bulletproof glass case 70 centimeters long by 70 centimeters wide by 50 centimeters tall in dimension. The case is sealed with a ████████-brand lock, and the sole key is held by Dr. P█████████ held in Foundation secure storage. The room is also locked with the same key. With the exception of Foundation-approved experimentation, no writing utensils or paper of any kind are allowed into the room where SCP-2276 is held. A computer with records of all changes to SCP-2276 is contained in the room to avoid confusion. There is also a smaller locked box for pages removed from SCP-2276. Any pages added to SCP-2276 are considered part of SCP-2276, and any pages removed are considered part of SCP-2276-A.

Until further notice, no experiments are to be performed on SCP-2276.

Description:

SCP-2276 is a red leather-bound book 50 centimeters long by 30 centimeters wide by 10 centimeters tall. On the cover are the words "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare". The book contains, in no particular order, the entirety of the written works of English playwright and author William Shakespeare, dated 1863. Although the font is that of a standard English typewriter from 1863, the text of the book is entirely composed of graphite. The anomalous nature of SCP-2276 becomes apparent when one writes in or erases any portion of the book. Alterations to any part of the book also alter the text of all copies of the work in question, as well as the memories of all persons who had previously known the unaltered version of the work. Literary criticism of the work in question also changes to reflect the alterations to SCP-2276. In fact, the only documents related to the altered work that remain the same appear to be the Foundation's logs regarding SCP-2276. It is unclear why that is the case; presumably, it is because they refer to SCP-2276 and not the works themselves. Original, unadulterated copies of all works in SCP-2276 are stored on this computer, each with the preface of "SCP-2276 originally read:". The memories of the person or persons who altered SCP-2276 or witnessed its alteration also retain any memories that they may have had of the works' original state.

If new pages are written and glued into SCP-2276, they become canonically the work of Shakespeare. Pages removed from SCP-2276 (hereby referred to as instances of SCP-2276-A) become attributed to other authors, and alterations to instances of SCP-2276-A have the same effect as alterations to SCP-2276. If instances of SCP-2276-A were pages added to SCP-2276, this effect does not occur. A full record of experiments involving SCP-2276 is below.

SCP-2276 appears completely immune to decomposition or any other force that would damage the book. The cover also appears to be indestructible. The spine of SCP-2276 also expands to fit any pages that are added to it.

Experiment Log

All experiments listed below before Incident 2276-Alpha, were conducted by Dr. P█████████ and Dr. N██████. All experiments listed after Incident 2276-Alpha and before Incident 2276-Beta were conducted by Dr. P█████████. There are no experiments after Incident 2276-Beta.

Experiment 2276-1

Procedure: Various lines from [DATA EXPUNGED] had their phrasing changed.

Results: All other texts had the same line changes. Literary criticism of [DATA EXPUNGED] remained mostly unchanged, with the exception of changes to some citations. No other effects.

Follow-up: Because none of the scientists originally involved remembered the original lines, the changes to [DATA EXPUNGED] were left as is. This test was what led to the installation of the computer in SCP-2276's room so that the results of future experiments could be undone.

Experiment 2276-2

Procedure: All's Well that Ends Well was removed from SCP-2276 via scalpel.

Results: All's Well that Ends Well now considered to have been written by Christopher Marlowe.

Follow-up: Although Dr. N██████ suggested leaving All's Well that Ends Well as an incident of SCP-2276-A due to "basically being the same as the other comedies", Dr. P█████████ reminded him that SCP-2276 testing procedure involves attempting to keep SCP-2276 as close to its original condition as possible. Dr. N██████ was noted to be somewhat agitated at this, and was sent to a psychiatric evaluation, which he passed.

Experiment 2276-3

Procedure: A new play written in the Shakespearean style, titled The Tragedy of Mithridates, was added to the back of SCP-2276 via library paste.

Results: The Tragedy of Mithridates now considered Shakespearean canon, although considered inferior to his authentic work.

Follow-up: The Tragedy of Mithridates was removed from SCP-2276. It was noted that the play did not become attributed to another author, and was instead removed from literary canon entirely. The pages were stored in SCP-2276 in case they were needed for future experiments.

Experiment 2276-4

Procedure: The fourth and fifth acts of Hamlet were removed and placed in the box for instances of SCP-2276-A.

Results: Hamlet is still considered to have been written by Shakespeare, but never finished, and most historians agree that Shakespeare began writing it and abandoned the project. The fourth and fifth acts have not been found.

Follow-up: Fourth and fifth acts of Hamlet returned to SCP-2276.

Experiment 2276-5

Procedure: The first and second acts of Romeo and Juliet were switched in placement in SCP-2276.

Results: Romeo and Juliet remains one of Shakespeare's most famous works, but the second act comes before the first. Literary critics now consider Shakespeare to be the inventor of the technique of flashback.

Follow-up: Romeo and Juliet returned to original state.

Experiment 2276-6

Procedure: Rewrote The Tragedy of Julius Caesar with happy ending.

Results: The Tragedy of Julius Caesar is still considered part of Shakespearean canon. Additionally, a fierce debate now exists among historians over whether Caesar survived the assassination attempt at the Senate.

Follow-up: Original version of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar restored.

Experiment 2276-7

Procedure: Various obscene jokes were added to Romeo and Juliet in an attempt to see if it would still be taken seriously.

Results: Romeo and Juliet remains considered the greatest love story of all time, and the obscene humor is only known by Shakespearean scholars.

Follow-up: The data file for the original version of Romeo and Juliet was deleted in an incident involving SCP-████, so the changes became permanent. It is suspected that Dr. N██████ was responsible for this, but was never proven.

Experiment 2276-8

Procedure: A copy of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman was added to the back of SCP-2276, replacing the author name with William Shakespeare.

Results: The play is on record as having never been performed at the Globe due to the actors being unable to understand it. Miller's version was still published; however, when the original manuscript of Death of a Salesman was found in a Stratford basement, doubt was cast on Miller's authorship of the work. Some saw this as a sign that Shakespeare and/or Miller were time travelers, while others wrote it off as a publicity stunt. The original manuscript was obtained by the Foundation in 19██ and replaced with a duplicate. It is also stored at Site-28.

Follow-up: The copy of Death of a Salesman was removed from SCP-2276 and summarily destroyed. Attribution of the play to Arthur Miller remained as normal. Interestingly, the Stratford manuscript remains in its container at Site-28.

Experiment 2276-9

Procedure: Part of Macbeth was erased and rewritten in pen.

Results: Changes made in pen were not applied, and Macbeth is considered unfinished.

Follow-up: Pages in pen were removed and Macbeth was returned to normal state.

Incident 2276-Alpha

Security cameras detected Dr. N██████ entering the room containing SCP-2276 via a key that he was later found to have pickpocketed from Dr. P█████████. Dr. N██████ was then seen to remove several pages from SCP-2276 and incinerate them with a handheld lighter. No entry was made in the logs, and it is unclear how many pages were removed from SCP-2276, but the camera footage shows enough pages for at least six or seven plays. When questioned about his actions, Dr. N██████ muttered something about "all the comedies being the same" and a few of them "not being missed". Dr. N██████ is currently being treated in the long-term psychiatric care unit at ██████████. After Incident 2276-Alpha, additional night patrols have been added to the hallway outside of SCP-2276, and Dr. P█████████ is the only one allowed access to said hallway.

Experiment 2276-10

Procedure: Twenty pages from SCP-1025 were added to SCP-2276 by D-class personnel supervised by Dr. P█████████.

Results: Shakespeare is now well-known for his contributions to modern medicine. In addition, rates of hypochondria are now 45% higher.

Follow-up: The pages were returned to SCP-1025.

Experiment 2276-11

Procedure: The second act of Hamlet was removed and replaced with a series of Dr. P█████████'s favorite dirty jokes.

Results: Hamlet is now considered one of Shakespeare's less significant contributions to literature. However, historians note that it was one of his most popular works.

Follow-up: Hamlet was restored to its original state. Dr. P█████████ taken in for psychiatric evaluation, and passed.

Experiment 2276-12

Procedure: Romeo and Juliet was rewritten with both Romeo and Juliet as male characters.

Results: After producing Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare was tried for vulgarity and executed before he could write any of his later plays. This did not cause the remaining plays to disappear from SCP-2276.

Follow-up: Romeo and Juliet was returned to its original state, although with noted reluctance from Dr. P█████████.

Experiment 2276-13

Procedure: SCP-2276 was placed into SCP-826 by Dr. P█████████.

Results: Dr. P█████████ found himself within The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, in the midst of Act II, Scene I. Dr. P█████████ entered the Senate chambers in hopes of finding SCP-826. While hidden in the shadows, the alarm on Dr. P█████████'s phone went off, creating the sound of a clock tower bell. Two of the characters noticed it, but thought that it was the sound of a clock. Dr. P█████████ found SCP-826 in the Senate library and exited into the research team's room. SCP-2276, and all copies of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, now contain a clock chiming, which scholars attribute to Shakespeare's use of anarchronism.

Follow-up: Due to potential complications with SCP-826, the change to The Tragedy of Julius Caesar was made permanent. Dr. P█████████ was reprimanded by Dr. Edison for not using D-Class subjects for the experiment and for allowing his phone to go off.

Experiment 2276-14

Procedure: Twenty pages from SCP-1065 were added to SCP-2276 by Dr. P█████████.

Results: All plays written after the point at which the pages were inserted are considered to no longer exist. Historical records show that in 15██, Shakespeare destroyed every copy of every play he had written and committed suicide. Plays in the book after the inserted pages, however, remain intact.

Follow-up: The pages were returned to SCP-1065.

Incident 2276-Beta

Dr. P█████████ entered the room containing SCP-2276 at 0200 hours. The guard was given false paperwork stating that Dr. P█████████ was conducting an experiment that required nighttime conducting. Dr. P█████████ then entered the room containing SCP-2276 and began to reinsert his version of Romeo and Juliet into SCP-2276. The guard, who had been alerted to possible obsessive tendencies of Dr. P█████████ regarding SCP-2276, contacted Foundation security staff, who apprehended Dr. P█████████ before he could make the revisions permanent. Dr. P█████████ was admitted to the long-term psychiatric care unit at ██████████. After Incident 2276-Beta, no further experimentation is to be performed on SCP-2276, as it appears to induce an obsession with altering the works contained in SCP-2276.

Addendum: Psychiatric evaluation of Dr. P█████████ and Dr. N██████ reveals that the obsessiveness caused by SCP-2276 may be due to its ability to alter the written canon of one of Western literature's most significant authors and not due to any specific anomalous property. However, increased security measures have been taken as a precaution.