• 4-minute read
• 17th July 2023

How to Cite Classic Literature in MLA

If you’re writing an essay or a research paper and need to cite classic literature in MLA format, then you’ve come to the right place! In this post, we’ll show you how to cite the timeless and popular classics Of Mice and Men, Catcher in the Rye, The Great Gatsby, Fahrenheit 451, Animal Farm, A Raisin in the Sun, “The Yellow Wallpaper,” Frankenstein, and The Canterbury Tales, both in the text and on a Works Cited page.

So if you’re using these works (or any classic literature) as source material, keep reading to learn how to properly cite them in MLA format. Remember to check out our MLA Referencing Guide for more information.

Citing Classic Literature in MLA Format

To cite classic literature in MLA format on the Works Cited page, include the following basic information:

●  The author’s last name

●  The author’s first name

●  The title of the work

●  The container volume if applicable

●  The volume or edition number if applicable

●  The year of publication

●  The publication information

●  The page range

Here’s what the entry will look like for a book:

Author Last Name, Author First Name. Book Title. Publisher, Year of Publication.

To cite a direct quotation, create an in-text citation that includes the author’s last name and the page number. Here’s an example of an MLA citation from the The Catcher in the Rye:

When citing classic literature, keep in mind that the publication details (publisher and year) may vary depending on the specific edition of the book you’re using. Always verify the information using the book’s title page or the copyright page to ensure accuracy in your citation.

Next, let’s take a look at how to cite the original publications of nine prominent classic works.

Of Mice and Men

On a Works Cited page, use the following format to cite Of Mice and Men, a book by John Steinbeck:

And a parenthetical citation would look like this:

The Catcher in the Rye

You would use the following format to cite J.D. Salinger’s book The Catcher in the Rye on a Works Cited page:

A parenthetical citation would look like this:

The Great Gatsby

Use the following format to cite F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book The Great Gatsby on a Works Cited page:

The parenthetical citation would appear as follows:

Fahrenheit 451

The following format is used on a Works Cited page to cite the book Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury:

Here’s what a parenthetical citation looks like:

Animal Farm

On a Works Cited page, use the following format to cite George Orwell’s book Animal Farm:

Here’s a parenthetical citation:

A Raisin in the Sun

Use the following format to cite Lorraine Hansberry’s play A Raisin in the Sun on a Works Cited page:

A parenthetical citation follows:

“The Yellow Wallpaper”

On a Works Cited page, use the following format to cite the short story “The Yellow Wallpaper,” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, originally published in The New England Magazine:

And the parenthetical citation would look like this:

Frankenstein

Use the following format to cite Mary Shelley’s book Frankenstein (full title Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus) on a Works Cited page:

Here’s a parenthetical citation:

The Canterbury Tales

On a Works Cited page, use the following basic format to cite a tale from the collection The Canterbury Tales, by Geoffrey Chaucer:

A parenthetical citation, using a direct quote from “The Wife of Bath’s Tale,” would look like this:

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