Who is responsible for Gilda's death in Rigoletto?

Answer 1

In a way, many people in the Opera are responsible (whether directly or indirectly).

Gilda's direct cause of death is the stabbing administered by Sparafucile (a hired assassin). However, her father, Rigoletto, was the one who hired him, as he was planning to kill the Duke. But Gilda sacrificed herself because she loved the Duke. Sparafucile told his sister (Maddalena) that if anyone came to the inn before midnight (the time he was supposed to kill the Duke), that person could be killed and put in the body bag instead. So Gilda, knowing this, returns to the inn and gets stabbed by Sparafucile.

So, to make a long and somewhat complicated opera's story short:

Sparafucile is responsible because he stabbed Gilda.

Rigoletto is responsible because he hired Sparafucile for the job.

Gilda is responsible because she essentially commits suicide to save the Duke.

The Duke is responsible because he seduced Gilda in the first place.

Maddalena is responsible because she convinced Sparafucile to kill someone else instead of the Duke.