Most of the Pride & Prejudice study guides and analysis websites view Mrs. Bennet as a small-minded, noisy, foolish, vulgar woman who just refuses to think before she talks. Why is that?

This is probably because she is all of the above mentioned. In her defence, social class and connections were everything in Victorian England. Marrying well, for a girl, was the most important accomplishment she could make. Marrying a jerk was besides the point. What makes this novel so interesting is that Elizabeth Bennet goes against this popular opinion. In many ways Elizabeth's mother, and Lydia, act as character foils to Elizabeth.