What happened to King Canute [closed]

Solution 1:

The Dowager Countess was just expressing that she felt as powerless to stop the rising tide of egalitarianism as King Canute was to stop the rising of the tide.

Solution 2:

It was the Dowager's frustration with her inability to stop the waves of change expressed by her reference to King Canute, who could not stop the waves.

Solution 3:

I believe it’s more an expression of the limits of her authority, however regretful that may be to her. Remember, King Canute never actually thought he could stem the rising tide — it was never about arrogance.

As the story goes, he ordered his throne be carried to the water’s edge, where he commanded the waves to stop advancing in order to demonstrate to his advisers that there were even limits to the authority of a king.