How To Mla Cite Poetry

Understanding MLA Poetry Citation

MLA (Modern Language Association) citation is a style of referencing commonly used in the humanities, such as literature and poetry. This style of citing is used to identify both sources and works in publications such as books and journals. When citing poetry in MLA style, you must include the poet’s last name, the title of the poem, the year it was first published, and the specific line or lines that you are citing.

Using In-Text Citations

When citing poetry in MLA format, you must include an in-text citation. This simply means that you must state the author’s last name and the specific line number or numbers that you are citing. For example, if you are citing a line from Shakespeare’s poem “Sonnet 18,” you would use the following format: (Shakespeare 18, ll. 1-2). Here, the 18 indicates the line number, and the ll. 1-2 indicates the range of lines being cited.

Creating the Works Cited Entry

When creating the works cited entry for a poem, you must include the poet’s last name, the title of the poem, the title of the poem’s anthology or collection, the publisher, the year the anthology or collection was published, and the page number. For example, a works cited entry for William Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 18” would appear as follows:
Shakespeare, William. “Sonnet 18.” The Norton Anthology of English Literature, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, 8th ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2003, p. 1256.

Citing Anthologies

When citing a poem from an anthology, the anthology’s title is the larger work within which the poem can be found, and the poem’s title is the smaller work within the larger work. For instance, the poem “Sonnet 18” appears in the anthology The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Thus, the anthology is the larger work and the poem is the smaller work, and this relationship should be represented in the works cited entry.

Citing Translated Poetry

When citing translated poetry in MLA style, you must include the poet’s last name, the title of the poem, the translator’s name, the title of the anthology or collection, the publisher, the year the anthology or collection was published, and the page number. For example, a works cited entry for a poem from The Norton Anthology of English Literature might appear as follows:
Shakespeare, William. “Sonnet 18.” Translated by Richard Wilbur, The Norton Anthology of English Literature, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, 8th ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2003, p. 1256.

Citing Modern Adaptations

If you are citing a modern adaptation of a poem, you must include the poet’s last name, the title of the poem, the adapter’s name, the title of the book or movie in which the adaptation appears, the publication information, and the medium of the adaptation. For example, a works cited entry for a poem adapted into a movie might appear as follows:
Shakespeare, William. “Sonnet 18.” Adapted by Julie Taymor, Shakespeare in Love, directed by John Madden, Miramax Films, 1998, film.

Citing Poetry with Multiple Authors

When citing a poem with multiple authors, you must include all of the authors’ names in your works cited entry. The subsequent authors should be listed in the order in which they appear in the poem. For example, a works cited entry for a poem with two authors might appear as follows:
Shakespeare, William and Anne Bradstreet. “Sonnet 18 and To My Dear and Loving Husband.” The Norton Anthology of English Literature, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, 8th ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2003, pp. 1256-1257.

Gathering Information

When citing poetry in MLA style, it is important to be as thorough as possible in gathering all of the necessary information. It is equally important to make sure that you are citing the correct version of the poem, as there may be minor differences between the various editions of the poem. For example, some editions may include a longer version of the poem than others.

Including Full Verses

When citing full verses of a poem, it is important to remember that longer verses need to be separated by a slash mark and enclosed in parentheses. For example, if you are citing a single verse from “Sonnet 18,” the in-text citation would appear as follows: (Shakespeare 18, l. 1/2-4). This helps to indicate that the two lines (1 and 2) are being presented as a single unit.

Considering Style

When citing poetry, it is important to be aware of standard style conventions as it pertains to punctuation and formatting. For instance, you should be sure to italicize the title of the poem, any books or anthologies in which the poem is included, and any translations.

In-Text Citations of Unavailable Resources

If the poem you are citing is unavailable in any published form (such as a poem written by an unknown poet or a poem that is published online), you must include an in-text citation that provides both the name of the author, if known, and a short descriptive title of the poem or a brief summary of the poem’s content. For example, if you are citing an unknown poem, you would use the following in-text citation format: (Author, “Title of Poem”).

Translating the Contents

When citing a translated poem in MLA format, you must include the translator’s name in both the in-text citation and works cited entry. This ensures that both the original work and its translation are credited accurately. For example, if you are citing a line from a translated poem, the in-text citation would appear as follows: (Author, Translator, l. 1).

Analyzing the Source of Citation

When citing a poem, it is important to understand the source of the poem. Does the poem appear in an anthology? Is it a modern adaptation? Is it a translation of an original poem? Depending on how the poem was published, the works cited entry and in-text citation may vary. Therefore, it is important to analyze the source of the poem in order to ensure that the appropriate information is included in the citation.

Minnie Walters is a passionate writer and lover of poetry. She has a deep knowledge and appreciation for the work of famous poets such as William Wordsworth, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, and many more. She hopes you will also fall in love with poetry!

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