Is it supposed to be funny? I actually don't find Charlotte and Mr. Palmer funny... I find their relationship strange and depressing. They are stuck with each other and it should make them both unhappy, but Austen insists that it doesn't, and as a result I can't buy THEM as psychologically plausible characters like all the others.

Some thoughts...

Charlotte: so IRRITATING! For me, her ignorance and giggliness and cluelessness are over the line into "cartoon" territory. Her husband is what I would call emotionally abusive (insulting, ignoring her), and it's supposed to be OK because she's too dim to notice. I find her implausible... maybe her giggling is her way of coping with his meanness, but I would like to see some hint of hurt or unhappiness underneath. I can't believe somebody could really have found a way to be TRULY happy in that situation.

Mr P: a rational man married to an empty-headed, child-like woman. Which might well make him cranky. But Austen (via Elinor) says that's NOT why he's cranky... and if it were, it wouldn't reflect well on his character, because so many men find themselves married to stupid women that they should know better than to let it bother them! (This reminds me of Mr and Mrs Bennett.)

Cynicism about marriage there bordering on misogynistic.