If you’re trying to cite Shakespeare correctly in MLA, you’re not alone. His plays and poems can be tricky because they appear in many editions, translations, and formats, and MLA rules ask you to cite the version you used while still pointing readers to the original work.
This guide breaks the process into simple steps so you can format in-text citations and Works Cited entries with confidence, whether you’re quoting a play, a sonnet, or a line from a collected edition.
How do you cite Shakespeare in MLA?
In MLA style, cite Shakespeare by giving the author’s name, the title of the play or poem, and the location of the passage you used. For plays, MLA usually prefers act, scene, and line numbers; for poems, use line numbers. In your Works Cited, list the edition or collection you consulted.
Start with the version of Shakespeare you used
Before formatting anything, identify the exact text you read. Shakespeare’s works are often published in different editions, and your citation should match the source in your hands or on your screen.
Why the edition matters
MLA wants readers to be able to find the passage you quoted. If line numbering, spelling, or editorial notes differ across editions, the edition information in your Works Cited entry helps clarify your source.
What to note before you cite
- The title of the play or poem
- The editor, translator, or anthology title, if applicable
- The publisher and year of publication
- Page numbers, if your source uses them
- Act, scene, and line numbers for plays, or line numbers for poems
How to cite a Shakespeare play in MLA
For a Shakespeare play, MLA in-text citations usually include the act, scene, and line numbers rather than page numbers. If the play is divided into acts and scenes, that format is the clearest way to direct readers to the quoted passage.
Basic in-text format
Use the play title in italics if needed in your sentence, then place the location in parentheses. A common format looks like this: (1.2.45–47) for act 1, scene 2, lines 45 through 47.
Example in a sentence
In Hamlet, the prince’s uncertainty shapes his response to action and delay (3.1.56–60).
If you mention the play title in the sentence
If you name the play in the sentence, you still include the location in parentheses. For example: Macbeth reveals the pressure of ambition through repeated references to blood (2.2.14–16).
If your edition uses page numbers
Some classroom anthologies or modern editions may not provide stable line numbers, or your instructor may ask for page numbers. In that case, follow the edition you used and cite the page number instead, but use act and scene when available because they are more precise for Shakespeare.
How to cite a Shakespeare poem in MLA
For Shakespeare’s poems, MLA generally uses line numbers in the in-text citation. This is especially useful for sonnets and narrative poems, where lineation is central to the text.
Example for a sonnet
You might write: Shakespeare presents time as both destructive and preservative in Sonnet 18 (9–14).
When to include the title
If the poem has a title or number, include it in your sentence or citation context. For sonnets, many writers refer to the number rather than a title, since that is the most recognizable identifier.
How to format the Works Cited entry
Your Works Cited entry should identify the specific edition or collection you used. The exact format depends on whether you consulted a single play, a collected edition, or an anthology.
General template for a play in an anthology or collected edition
Shakespeare, William. Title of Play. Edited by Editor’s Name, Publisher, Year, pp. xx–xx.
General template for a poem in a collection
Shakespeare, William. Title of Poem. Edited by Editor’s Name, Publisher, Year, pp. xx–xx.
What if you used a standalone edition?
If the play or poem appears in a book devoted to that work alone, cite the book itself. Include the editor if there is one, and list the page range for the text you used.
What if you used an online text?
If you used a reliable online edition, cite the website or database in MLA format and include the access information only if required by your instructor or the source type. The key point is to name the version you actually consulted.
Common MLA citation patterns for Shakespeare
These examples show the structure, not a fixed formula for every edition. Always adapt them to the source you used.
Play cited in-text by act, scene, and line
- (1.1.20–22) = act 1, scene 1, lines 20 to 22
- (2.3.88) = act 2, scene 3, line 88
- (4.2.10–12) = act 4, scene 2, lines 10 to 12
Play cited in-text with the title in the sentence
- Julius Caesar dramatizes political instability (3.1.77–79).
- Othello explores jealousy through manipulation and doubt (4.1.40–43).
Poem cited in-text by line numbers
- Sonnet 130 resists idealized praise (1–4).
- Shakespeare’s speaker reflects on mortality and endurance (18–20).
How to handle quotations from Shakespeare
Short quotations from Shakespeare can be integrated smoothly into your own sentence. Keep the quotation brief, preserve the original wording from your source, and follow it with the correct MLA citation.
Short quotation example
Shakespeare’s language often turns abstract emotion into vivid image, as when a character describes “a sea of troubles” (3.1.59).
Block quotations
If a quotation is long enough to require a block quote under MLA rules, format it as a block and place the citation after the final line. For poetry and drama, preserve the line breaks from the source.
Special cases you may run into
Shakespeare citation can become confusing when the text is presented in unusual ways. A few practical habits will help you avoid mistakes.
When line numbers are missing
If your source does not provide line numbers, use the most stable location available, usually page numbers. If possible, switch to a scholarly edition that includes line numbering, since that is the standard for Shakespeare in MLA.
When citing a play with no act or scene divisions
Some editions or adaptations may not divide the text into acts and scenes. In that case, use page numbers or another location system provided by the source, and make sure your Works Cited entry clearly identifies the edition.
When citing more than one Shakespeare work
If your paper discusses multiple plays or poems, be consistent with your citation style throughout. Each work should have its own clear in-text references and its own source entry if you used different editions.
Common mistakes to avoid
Many MLA errors with Shakespeare come from mixing up the work’s original structure with the edition’s formatting. A few small checks can prevent most problems.
- Do not use page numbers for a play if act, scene, and line numbers are available.
- Do not invent line numbers if your source does not provide them.
- Do not cite the author alone in the Works Cited; include the specific edition or collection.
- Do not forget italics for play and poem titles when your source treats them as standalone works.
- Do match your in-text citation to the exact source you used.
A simple step-by-step method
If you want a quick process, use this one every time you cite Shakespeare in MLA.
- Identify the play or poem and the edition you used.
- Find the passage’s act, scene, and line numbers, or line numbers for poetry.
- Write your quotation or paraphrase in your sentence.
- Add the parenthetical citation immediately after the quote or relevant sentence.
- List the full edition or collection in Works Cited.
Why MLA treats Shakespeare this way
MLA favors location markers that remain useful across editions. Because Shakespeare’s works have been printed in many forms over centuries, act, scene, and line numbers are more dependable than page numbers for plays, and line numbers are especially helpful for poetry.
Final takeaway
To cite Shakespeare in MLA, focus on the version you used, then cite the passage by act, scene, and line numbers for plays or line numbers for poems. Once you match the in-text citation to a carefully formatted Works Cited entry, the process becomes straightforward and repeatable.
If you want to compare Shakespeare citation with other source types, you may also find these guides useful: How to Cite Shakespeare and How to Cite a Poem in MLA.