How to Quote Shakespeare in an Essay

Identify the specific location of the text within the play. Shakespearean editions vary significantly in pagination, so scholars use a standardized numbering system. Look for the act number, scene number, and line numbers. These are usually found in the margins of your text. For example, if you are quoting the famous soliloquy in Hamlet, you would note it is from Act 3, Scene 1, lines 56–89. If your edition does not provide line numbers, use the act and scene numbers at a minimum.

Integrate short quotes directly into your paragraph. For prose (standard paragraph style), treat the quote like a normal sentence. For verse (poetry style), use a forward slash ( / ) with a space on either side to indicate a line break. If there is a stanza break, use a double forward slash ( // ). Wrap the entire quote in double quotation marks. Place the citation in parentheses after the quote but before the final period.

Write the citation using Arabic numerals separated by periods. Do not use the words "act" or "scene." If it is the first time you are quoting the play and the title is not in your sentence, include the italicized title or an abbreviated version. For subsequent citations of the same play, only provide the numbers. For example: (Macbeth 2.1.33-34) or simply (2.1.33-34). This format allows readers to find the passage in any edition of the play.

Apply block quote formatting if the quotation exceeds three lines of verse or four lines of prose. Start the quote on a new line and indent the entire block 0.5 inches from the left margin. Omit quotation marks. In block quotes, the final period comes before the parenthetical citation. If you are quoting dialogue between multiple characters, write the character names in all capital letters followed by a period, and maintain the indentation for the dialogue.