I have to admit that I much prefer Mr. Bennet (as a personality) to his wife. Picture this scene: The whole family gathers around on an ordinary day. Mrs. Bennet's nerves are so brittle today, convinced that someone else's daughter or niece will surely win over Mr. Bingley's heart. She seems to think of nothing else. Her own daughter can't even cough in peace. Mr. Bennet teases. Mr. Bennet leads the witness... BAM! Mrs. Bennet falls right for it, claiming that she suspected it all the while. I would think this kind of tense family togetherness would get a little old after a while. But perhaps he prefers that to an evening with six giddy females planning out the next few days (probably even the next few years) right down to the ribbon and hairpins.
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Perhaps your critique is a little hard on Mrs. Bennet? After all, the poor woman wants what is best for her daughters, yet her husband poses for the perfect picture of indifference! :) I'm only teasing.
Actually, what's interesting about the Bennet family is how Austen's pairing of this over-dramatic (sometimes over-the-top) woman with the more sensible Mr. Bennet makes for a nice play in contrasts. While Mrs. Bennet tries to play her husband with her "poor nerves", she sets the scene for her husband to have a little fun as he plays on her nerves every once in a while.
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