Etymological Co-Conspirators: The Names of Little Dorrit's Rigaud

Abstract:Little Dorrit's first character introduced is none other than its devilish antagonist, Monsieur Rigaud. One of the villain's defining characteristics is his tendency to operate under several other names–"Blandois" and "Lagnier"–which are implied to be disguise aliases. Given Dickens's historical attention to character names, this case presents an entry point to ascertain covert authorial intentions behind Rigaud's portrayal. Considering these multiple identities in light of Dickens's naming habits, this article finds patterns connecting their etymologies to the villain's characterizing details, Little Dorrit's themes, and Dickens's political views. The study describes a subtext making Rigaud not just a pervasive caricature of Victorian England's vain bourgeoisie, but also a portrait of corruption in the pre-reform era of politics. It concludes that when the lineaments of this broader symbolic form converge in a single character, the resulting shape is a damning silhouette of revolutionary cause and effect.