The exact words
The joke in the scene
Polonius, the royal adviser, believes he has discovered why Prince Hamlet is behaving so strangely: he is mad with love for Polonius’s daughter Ophelia. He hurries to tell the king and queen, and he cannot resist making a speech of it. He announces that to discuss what majesty should be, “why day is day, night night, and time is time, were nothing but to waste night, day and time.” Then he delivers his famous principle: “Therefore, since brevity is the soul of wit, / And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes, / I will be brief. Your noble son is mad.”
He is not brief. He goes on playing with words about madness until Queen Gertrude cuts him off with one of the best put-downs in Shakespeare: “More matter, with less art.” He swears he uses no art at all, and keeps going.
What “wit” meant
Today “wit” usually means cleverness in a funny way, so the line is often read as advice about jokes: the shorter, the funnier. In Shakespeare’s English, “wit” more often meant intelligence, understanding or good sense. Polonius means that the soul, or essence, of wisdom is saying things concisely, while long-windedness is just decoration on the outside. Both readings work, which is part of why the line has lasted.
How to use it
The line is a perfect opener for any speech you intend to keep short, and it gets a laugh because everyone expects the speaker to go on too long. Just make sure you do keep it short. In writing about Hamlet, note the irony; Shakespeare gave the best advice on brevity to his wordiest character.
What people get wrong
Wise advice from a character who practices it.
Polonius says it in the middle of a rambling speech, and the queen has to cut him off. The advice is good; the joke is that he cannot follow it.
Timeline
- c. 1600Shakespeare writes Hamlet.
- Act 2, Scene 2Polonius comes to tell the king and queen that Hamlet has gone mad, and takes a very long time to say it.
- Moments laterQueen Gertrude loses patience and tells him, “More matter, with less art.”
- TodayThe line is used as advice for writers and speakers, usually without the joke.
Use it in a speech
Questions people ask
What does “brevity is the soul of wit” mean?
Saying things briefly is the essence of intelligence and good expression. In Shakespeare's time “wit” mostly meant intelligence or good sense, not only humor.
Who says it?
Polonius, the king's long-winded adviser, in Act 2, Scene 2 of Hamlet.
Why is it funny?
Because Polonius is famously wordy. Right after saying he will be brief, he goes on so long that Queen Gertrude snaps, “More matter, with less art.”
Cite this quote
These cite the original source directly, so you can use them in an essay or paper. Always check your teacher's required style.