Many scholars argue that it does not further the plot at all and many performances are produced without the scene in it at all. This is actually a mistake because it establishes a context for what other characters will be doing. The fact that Polonius thinks himself intellectually superior, when in fact, Reynaldo is, parallels the actions of other characters in the play. The whole idea of nothing being as it seems is reinforced. Additionally, the switching of letters and using letters to gain information from others will also be used by Hamlet as a device for the same reason.
