Who Rigaud is
Rigaud appears at the opening of the novel, sharing a stone cell in the heat of Marseilles. He is accused of murder, but he presents himself as a gentleman.
The contrast between Rigaud's charming surface and his cruelty makes him part of the novel's concern with people who appear different from what they are.
Rigaud and the others in the story
Rigaud shares his cell with Cavalletto, a small Italian smuggler who is cheerful and quiet. Cavalletto fears him, giving their confinement a sense of danger as well as discomfort.
Their cell introduces the prisons that recur throughout Little Dorrit, where confinement takes many forms. Rigaud's place in the story extends beyond this prison, but his first appearance establishes his threatening presence.
Questions
Who is Rigaud in Little Dorrit?
Rigaud is a smiling, dangerous man first seen as a prisoner in Marseilles.
What is Rigaud accused of?
He is accused of murder, though he insists that he is a gentleman.
Who shares Rigaud's cell?
Cavalletto, an Italian smuggler, shares his cell and is afraid of him.