How do I explain Mrs. Elton's character in Jane Austen's Emma in terms of irony that amuses rather than disgusts?

Thereason Mrs. Elton amuses rather than
disgusts or irritates, for thatmatter, is precisely because of 's ironical approach todrawing
her character in . This is well illustrated in Chapter 32 where wefirst get
a good look at Mrs Elton. Austen writes Mrs. Elton's dialoguewith great gusto--words fly at a
rapid pace through long phrases; Mrs.Elton will not suffer to be read in a slow manner as she
fills inextraneous details and flits from one subject to another, all with thepurest (misguided)
sense of charm and appeal imaginable, neverentertaining the wild thought that only she could
possibly be interestedin her brother and sister's modes of transport:

Mybrother and sister have promised us a visit in the spring, or
summer atfarthest ... and that will be our time for exploring. While they arewith us, we shall
explore a great deal, I dare say. They will have theirbarouche-landau, of course, which holds
four perfectly; and therefore,without saying any thing of our carriage, we should be able to
explorethe different beauties extremely well. They would hardly come in theirchaise, I think, at
that season of the year. Indeed, when the time drawson, I shall decidedly recommend their
bringing the barouche-landau;

Anothergood example of
howkeeps Mrs.Elton from disgusting us is herscene with Mr. Knightly in Chapter 42 in which she
boarders on offendingthe reader but is quickly brought back from the precipice of disgust
byAusten's mastery of craftsmanship and skill; by witty irony; and byAusten's exquisitely
precise . Knightly has justproposed the famous strawberry picking excursion and Mrs. Elton has
justinformed him that it is she who will invite the guest for the excursionto his home--a
suggestion that rightly does not sit well with Knightly.Mrs. Elton's pushy approach is
interrupted with Austen's ironical tonefirst by Mrs. Elton's mortification at the thought that
Knightly wouldallow any other woman to orchestrate his guest list ("Mrs. Weston,
Isuppose," interrupted Mrs. Elton, rather mortified."). She is saved asecond time from
disgusting by Austen's next ironical rescue in whichMrs. Elton acquiesces to Knightly, then
resumes her silliness by givinghim commands on minutia to orchestrate how the day will
go:

€¦but as you like. It is to be a morning scheme, you
know, Knightley;quite a simple thing. I shall wear a large bonnet, and bring one of mylittle
baskets hanging on my arm. Here, -- probably this basket withpink ribbon. Nothing can be more
simple, you see. And Jane will havesuch another. There is to be no form or parade -- a sort of
gipsy party.We are to walk about your gardens, and gather the strawberriesourselves, and sit
under trees; ....

So,Austen saves Mrs.Elton from being
disgusting by (1) employing anironical tone; (2) characterizing Mrs. Elton as innocently vain
insteadof arrogantly vain; (3) making her a very silly person who has adoubtable grasp on
logical order of thought; (4) giving her a quick andlively personality, albeit a silly one; and
by (5) giving her someredeeming qualities, like her devotion to her husband and to JaneFairfax:
I shall bring Jane with me -- Jane and her aunt.