"Brevity is the soul of wit" is a famous quote from Shakespeare's play Hamlet. It means that the most intelligent and witty remarks are expressed concisely, using few words.[1][3]

The quote is spoken by the character Polonius, who ironically goes on a long-winded speech before finally stating that Hamlet is mad.[1][2][3] This irony highlights Polonius' lack of wit and self-awareness, as he fails to practice the very principle he preaches.[1][3]

Shakespeare likely used this quote to create humor and showcase Polonius as a hypocritical, rambling fool who tries to sound intelligent but lacks true wisdom.[1][3] The quote has become a popular proverb emphasizing the virtue of being succinct and avoiding unnecessary verbosity when expressing clever thoughts.[1][4][5]

Sources [1] 'Brevity is the Soul of Wit': Meaning and Origin - Interesting Literature https://interestingliterature.com/2023/04/brevity-is-the-soul-of-wit-meaning-origin/ [2] 'Brevity Is The Soul Of Wit' Meaning & Context Of Hamlet Quote https://nosweatshakespeare.com/quotes/famous/brevity-is-the-soul-of-wit/ [3] "Brevity is the soul of wit" Meaning - Poem Analysis https://poemanalysis.com/shakespeare-quotes/brevity-is-the-soul-of-wit/ [4] Act 2, Scene 2: Popup Note Index Item: "brevity is the soul of wit" https://myshakespeare.com/hamlet/act-2-scene-2-popup-note-index-item-brevity-the-soul-of-wit [5] brevity is the soul of wit - Wiktionary, the free dictionary https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/brevity_is_the_soul_of_wit