1. Dost thou dare quote the bard?
MLShakespeare
Dost thou dare quote the bard?

2. Titles and author Shakespeare Not William or Will
Maybe William Shakespeare, but only in the intro, and only once.
King Lear
Titles of plays are italicized.
King Lear is a character.
King Lear is a play.
“King Lear” isn’t anything.

3. Quoting
Yes, you need to quote.

4. Continued You must have a works cited page
Two editions of the play: Signet Classics and Dover Thrift
You must actually write the citation – don’t just find one on the internet!!!
If you have the Dover Thrift Edition:
I’m sorry.
For parenthetical citations, use page numbers.

5. Signet Classics If you have the Signet Classics Edition:
For parenthetical citations, use Act.Scene.Lines
“Now gods, stand up for bastards” (1.2.23).
If there are multiple lines under 100:
“There is strange things toward, Edmund; pray you be careful” ( ).
If there are multiple lines over 100:
“What, art mad? A man may see how this world goes with no eyes” ( ).

6. Quoting prose
If, for some ridiculous reason, you need to quote more than four lines of prose, make a block quote.
No quotation marks.
Try not to.

7. Quoting Verse Use a / to denote a change in line in verse.
“Take that of me, my friend, who have the power / To seal th’ accuser’s lips” ( ).
Block quote 3 or more lines of verse.
No quotation marks.
Again, try not to.

8. Quoting multiple characters
If, you need to quote multiple characters, make a block quote, capitalize each letter of the character’s name, and put a period after his or her name :
LEAR. Nothing. I have sworn. I am firm.
BURGUNDY. I am sorry then you have so lost a father
That you must lose a husband.
CORDELIA. Peace be with Burgundy.
Since that respects of fortune are his love,
I shall not be his wife. ( ).

9. Any questions?

10. Now that the mechanics are done…
Always, always, always…
Embed your quotes!

11. Say what?
Your text and the text you are quoting should flow together as one cohesive unit. Pronouns should either work or be fixed with brackets. Subjects and verbs should agree.
Quotes should not distract syntactically from what you are saying. Use small quotes and break them up if you have to.

12. For example
King Lear presents competing views of marriage that are, perhaps, best exemplified by the competition of France and Burgundy, who are, “Great rivals in [Lear’s] youngest daughter’s love” (1.1.48)
Quote often, but quote judiciously.

13. You try
Find any piece of text, and embed it into a sentence or two of your own writing. Now.