How to Cite "Romeo and Juliet"

"Romeo and Juliet," a standard reading choice for grade 9 and 10 high school English classrooms, tells a classic tale of tragic love every teen will be familiar with by the time she graduates high school. High-scoring essays on "Romeo and Juliet" incorporate ample textual references to support claims a writer makes about the play. You will need to cite "Romeo and Juliet" both in-text and in your works cited page.

In-Text

Step 1

Place a pair of parentheses after your first quote or reference to the play "Romeo and Juliet." The parentheses belong after the last quotation mark but before the period.

Step 2

Write "Shakespeare," the last name of the author, followed by the title of the play, "Romeo and Juliet." Italicize "Romeo and Juliet" because it is the title of a longer work.

Step 3

Type the number of the act, scene and lines you are citing.

For example, "O Romeo, Romeo, / wherefore art thou Romeo?" (Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet 2.1.74-75).

Every time you cite the play afterwards, include only the act, scene and line number.

Works Cited Page

Step 1

List the author's last name, Shakespeare, followed by his first name, William. Type the title of the play, "Romeo and Juliet," in italics. Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet.

Step 2

Include the editor, publisher and year of publication if you are citing from a print book or anthology. Identify the medium of the source. Indent the second line of the citation and double-space.

Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Ed. Stephen Greenblatt et al. The Norton Shakespeare. New York: W.W. Norton & Company Inc., 1997. Print.

Step 3

Include the date of publication, if available, and the date of access, if you are citing from a website.

Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. MIT. Web. 6 June 2011.

Every couple of years the Modern Languages Association modifies its style guidelines. Check its website for updates.