Abstract
Some interpreters of The Wind in the Willows have suggested that Ratty’s beloved river should be understood as a symbol of the imagination. Whether this is true or not, we may benefit from thinking of Grahame’s own imagination as a river that derives much of its force from both Classical and Romantic tributaries. In what follows, I will explore the lower reaches of these tributaries, not only to contextualize and illuminate The Wind in the Willows, but also to address several persistent questions about its composition and reception. I turn first to the Classical tributary, which flows with the imaginings of ancient Greek and Roman authors, especially Aesop, Homer, and various others who have offered perspectives on the figure of Pan. After that, I will turn to the Romantic tributary, which flows with the imaginings of many modern poets, though Coleridge and Wordsworth merit special attention.
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