Duchess's Rank
The Duchess laments the fact that, because she was born a Duchess, no man would ever attempt to court her because her rank is too high. She says, "And as a tyrant doubles with his words, / And fearfully equivocates, so we / Are forc'd to express our violent passions / In riddles and in dreams" (1.1). Here, the Duchess uses a simile to compare herself to a tyrant who must deceive his people in order to get what he wants. In this case, the Duchess thinks she has to resort to deception and secrecy in order to marry Antonio.
Duchess's Marriage
After the Duchess promises the Cardinal and Ferdinand that she will not remarry, she turns around and immediately seeks a marriage with Antonio. She describes her decision by saying, "Even in this hate, as men in some great battles, / By apprehending danger, have achiev'd / Almost impossible actions (I have heard soldiers say so), / So I through frights and threatenings will assay / This dangerous venture" (1.1). Here, the Duchess uses a simile to compare herself to a soldier walking over the bodies of her friends and family, suggesting that there is nothing she would not do to be able to marry Antonio.
Sugar Candy
When Ferdinand proposes a new husband for the Duchess, he offers Count Malateste as a suitor. The Duchess responds by saying, "A Count? He's a mere stick of sugar candy, / You may quite look through him" (3.1). Here, the Duchess uses a metaphor to compare the Count to flimsy and weak piece of candy, emphasizing her own strength and her desire to marry someone of equal measure.
An Imprisoned Relic
When the Duchess is imprisoned by Ferdinand, she implores him to explain why he is treating her this way. She says to her brother, "Why should only I / Of all the other princes of the world / Be cased up like a holy relic? I have youth, / And a little beauty" (3.2). Here, The Duchess uses a simile to compare herself to a relic of the church, or something old that, while valuable, is hidden away from view. She argues with her brother that she is young and desirable, and that it is only fitting that she should remarry.
Ferdinand's Death
When Ferdinand dies at the end of the play, he expresses his shame over what he has done and realizes that he, too, is doomed. After calling out to his (deceased) sister, he says, "Whether we fall by ambition, blood, or lust, / Like diamonds we are cut with our own dust" (5.5). Here, Ferdinand uses a simile to compare people to diamonds, or substances that are only "undone" by themselves.
