The duke in this poem symbolizes tyranny

The duke in this poem symbolizes tyranny, cynicism, and jealousy. He blames his wife for smiling back courteously to everyone whom she encountered in her life. He says that she failed to acknowledge and appreciate his own superiority over others, and never paid special regards to his great name. During the climax of his lecture, the duke reveals that he has killed her. He did this because she never stopped smiling at others, “and I choose / Never to stoop.” Here “stoop” has a symbolic significance—the duke considers himself to have high social status, unlike ordinary people who might be seen “stooping.”