And again, what did Shakespeare mean by this: "Brevity is the soul of wit"?

Question

And again, what did Shakespeare mean by this: "Brevity is the soul of wit"?

Answer 1

'Brevity is the soul of wit' means that articulate and intelligent communication (speech and writing) should use as few words as possible to convey the same meaning.

It is best associated with the play 'Hamlet,' by William Shakespeare. Here is the original extract from Shakespeare's "Hamlet":



This business is well ended.

My liege, and madam, to expostulate

What majesty should be, what duty is,

Why day is day, night night, and time is time,

Were nothing but to waste night, day and time.

Therefore, since brevity is the soul of wit,

And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes,

I will be brief: your noble son is mad:

Mad call I it; for, to define true madness,

What isn't but to be nothing else but mad?

But let that go.

Answer 2

Keep it short - People will think you're more witty than someone who rambles on and on, no  matter how clever they are.

Answer 3

it means go straight to the point. it will have more impact.

Answer 4

For a story to be funny, it is best if it is short and to the point!

His comment however, does not address timing. Poor timing can ruin the best of jokes!

Regards: Jim Sibbick

Answer 5

less talk, less mistake.  more talk, more mistake.

Answer 6

I am going to take a wild guess here. Brevity means short so "the shorter the joke, the wittier"?

Answer 7

If you are giving a 3 hour speech, people get bored. The same applies when you are having a conversation.... the more you talk, the greater the chance that you will say something stupid.

Wit, in this case does not mean joke, but wisdom. (Ever hear somebody say "nitwit"? (No brain)

Answer 8

Wit is more a response to a circumstance or a remark, rather than a pre-thought humorous joke.

Quick, short, curt answers that reflect a witty, off the cuff response that doesn't require much forethought, but, yet, gets right to the heart of the matter. It's saying wit is almost an autonomous response that doesn't require much thought, nor an elaborate essay to get it said.

Answer 9

My guess is -- in the olden times, people love to beat around the bush or they love to branch out or they love to put flowery comments before saying their purpose.  That is why we read a lot of poetries/essays which are so lengthy but the main content can be written in two or three sentences.  

Most probably, Shakespeare was tired of reading lengthy drafts and decides to be concise and specific to make his readers (and future readers) get what he meant.

Answer 10

You know that guy at the party with all the jokes that isn't very funny?

Shakespeare argues that brevity, or sarcasm, is much funnier.

Answer 11

Katerina Wit's body is inhabited by the soul of her ancestor, whose name was Brevity?

Answer 12

If you're going to make a joke, make it short because if its too long its not funny anymore