Final answer:
When citing plays written as poetry by Shakespeare, use the citation format (Act.Scene.Line), such as (1.3.186). For poems, provide line numbers and when quoting poetry, indent quotations of more than three lines without quotation marks.
Step-by-step explanation:
When citing plays written as poetry, such as those by Shakespeare, the citation in the parentheses should look like (Act.Scene.Line), for example, (1.3.186), which means Act 1, Scene 3, Line 186. This format helps identify the exact location in the play the citation is referencing.
However, if a play lacks line numbers or scenes, you may need to use only the act and scene, (1.3), or just the act, (Act 3). It's essential to use the most direct form of reference that enables the reader to easily locate the cited material. For poetry, line numbers should be provided, and when quoting poetry, if it is more than three lines, set it off from your text with an indentation and without quotation marks.
Cite verse plays by including act, scene, and line numbers, separated by periods: (Hamlet 4.4.31-39). During Shakespeare's time, the use of iambic pentameter meant that both poems and plays had a line structure which is still useful for reference in modern citations.
Introducing quoted materials with a signal phrase helps readers understand the source and context before presenting the quote contained in double quotation marks with the citation following in parentheses.