Archy

fictional character

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Last updated

June 18, 2026

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Archy is a fictional character created by Don Marquis and first appeared in his newspaper columns in the early 20th century. Archy is a philosophical cockroach who claims to have been a poet in a past life. He communicates by typing messages to Marquis, but he can only use lowercase letters because he is unable to operate the shift key on a typewriter. Archy's stories often explore themes of transmigration of souls, social injustice, and life in New York City. He is frequently joined by Mehitabel, a free-spirited alley cat who believes she was Cleopatra in a previous existence. The collected stories, known for their use of free verse and lack of capitalization, were published in books such as Archy and Mehitabel (1927) and its sequels.12

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Don Marquis
Archy and Mehitabel first appeared in “The Sun Dial.” Archy’s poetic reflections on the world and the racy misadventures of Mehitabel were related in first person and lowercase by Archy, who supposedly could not press down the typewriter’s shift key.
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Archy and Mehitabel first appeared in “The Sun Dial.” Archy’s poetic reflections on the world and the racy misadventures of Mehitabel were related in first person and lowercase by Archy, who supposedly could not press down the typewriter’s shift key.
Read More