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Act 1, Scene 1
The Duke boasts of his way with women. He flirts with the wife of Ceprano, one of his entourage, while Rigoletto, the Duke’s hunchbacked sidekick and comedian, mocks the enraged husband. -
Analysis
The opening scene is essential for the plot: the Duke is an egotistical misogynist who uses women. Rigoletto is a powerless servant. He mocks the Duke from afar, which foreshadows his role as a bystander during the show. -
Act 1, Scene 1
Gossip spreads throughout the town that Rigoletto is keeping a young mistress at his place. Monterone, an Arab tycoon, denounces the Duke for seducing his daughter and is viciously ridiculed by Rigoletto. Monterone is arrested and puts a curse on Rigoletto. -
Analysis
Rigoletto presents himself as a rude fool who constantly mocks others. When the gossip begins to spread about his attractive daughter, he is too busy mocking the others to be aware. The Duke overhears the news of Rigoletto's daughter and is intrigued because of his reputation. -
Act I Scene 2
Rigoletto hires a hitman to fend off his curse. The Duke finds Rigoletto’s duagher, Gilda. . He declares his love for her and tells her he is a poor student. After he has left, Gilda tenderly reflects on her newfound love. The Duke’s entourage kindaps Gilda, believeing she is Rigoletto’s mistress. -
Analysis
Rigoletto's foolishness is becoming more and more obvious. He is riddled with protectiveness and jealousy. He constantly acts without thinking or being aware of the consequences of his actions. It is clear that his constant rash actions will continue to harm all those in his life, most especially Gilda. -
Act 2
The Duke is distraught, having immediately gone back to see Gilda only to find her missing. When his entourage returns and tells him the story of how they abducted a girl from Rigoletto’s apartment and left her in the Duke’s bedroom, he realizes it is Gilda and hurries off to her. -
Analysis
The Duke is showing deep feelings for Gilda. He is distraught when she is missing and is exhibiting out of character feelings for her. This draws in the audience and heightens their 'fairy tale' romance, even though it seems clear that the two will not end up together. -
Act 2
Rigoletto enters, looking for Gilda. The entourage is astonished to find out that she is his daughter rather than his mistress, but they prevent him from storming into the Duke’s bedroom. Gilda returns from the Duke’s room. She tells Rigoletto of the Duke’s courtship, her abduction, and her deflowering by the Duke. Gilda begs her father to forgive the Duke. -
Analysis
Rigoletto is trapped in this scene: his daughter is now in love with the man whom he despises the most. He floats back and forth between violence and empathy in the scene, not knowing whether to lash out or beg for mercy. When Gilda enters, the entire mood shifts and he is seeing that he cannot control her. -
Act 3
Rigoletto brings Gilda to a seedy club on the outskirts of town where his sister Maddalena lives. The Duke appears, and Gilda and Rigoletto watch him through the window as he amuses himself with Maddalena. Rigoletto tells his distraught daughter to leave town disguised as a man and, after she leaves, pays Sparafucile to murder the Duke. -
Analysis
Rigoletto believes he is helping Gilda by setting up Magdelena and the Duke. He unknowingly emotionally manipulates her and uses her young, raw emotions as a tool for his own interests. The Duke returns to the personality we believed he had at the beginning and seemingly forgets Gilda, showing his manipulation. Gilda is simply being used as a tool in their games. -
Act 3
Gilda overhears Maddalena trying to spare the Duke and kill Rigoletto instead. Sparafucile refuses but agrees to kill the next person to arrive at the club. Gilda decides to sacrifice herself for the Duke. Sparafucile and Maddalena put her body in the trunk of a car. Rigoletto assumes the body is the corpse of the Duke. He removes the hood covering the body and finds the body is his dying daughter. Gilda dies asking her father’s forgiveness. -
Analysis
Gilda is truly the hero of the story and the one who receives the most suffering. She sacrifices everything for the Duke who sees her as a conquest while Rigoletto does nothing to stop this until it is too late. She was constantly manipulated and used, which culminates in her tragic death.