Macavity the Mystery Cat, also called the Hidden Paw, is a fictional character and the main antagonist of T. S. Eliot's 1939 poetry book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. He also appears in the Andrew Lloyd Webber 1981 musical Cats, which is based on Eliot's book. Macavity is a cunning criminal and con artist; he possesses mystical powers and is the antagonist of the musical.
T. S. Eliot was a big fan of the Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle and the character of Macavity is a literary allusion to Professor Moriarty, the criminal mastermind in the Sherlock series.[2] Evidence that Macavity was based on Moriarty was first presented by H.T. Webster and H.W. Starr in 1954,[3] and later rediscovered by Katharine Loesch.[4] In a letter to Frank Morley, Eliot wrote, "I have done a new cat modeled on the late Professor Moriarty, but he doesn't seem very popular; too sophisticated perhaps."[5] The name "Macavity" is thus a pun on "Moriarty".[5] The word 'cavity' also implies a hole or void or absence of something, and Macavity is described in the poem as being "not there" at the time or location of any crime.
Poem
Beginning: Macavity's a Mystery Cat: he's called the Hidden Paw - For he's the master criminal who can defy the Law. He's the bafflement of Scotland Yard, the Flying Squad's despair: For when they reach the scene of crime – Macavity's not there!
End: And they say that all the Cats whose wicked deeds are widely known (I might mention Mungojerrie, I might mention Griddlebone) Are nothing more than agents for the Cat who all the time Just controls their operations: the Napoleon of Crime!
The poem "Macavity the Mystery Cat" is the best known of Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, the only book Eliot wrote for a younger audience.[6] The poem is considered particularly suitable reading for 11- and 12-year-olds.[7] Although originally published as part of a collection of poems, "Macavity the Mystery Cat" was published as a standalone book by Faber and Faber in 2015.[8][9]
In the poem, Macavity is a master criminal who is too clever to leave any evidence of his guilt. His nicknames include: the Mystery Cat, the Hidden Paw, and the Napoleon of Crime.[5] Similarly, Sherlock Holmes describes Moriarty as "the Napoleon of Crime" in The Adventure of the Final Problem and a "Napoleon gone wrong" in The Valley of Fear.[3][4]
According to the poem, even when the Secret Service decides that Macavity was behind a loss, they are unable to apprehend him, as "he's a mile away", "...[or] engaged in doing complicated long division sums". Doyle wrote that Moriarty "is never caught" as at the moment of the crime he is probably "working out problems on a blackboard ten miles away" (The Adventure of the Final Problem). Macavity is described as being a ginger cat who is very tall and thin with sunken eyes, and "sways his head from side to side with movements like a snake". The poem also says: "His brow is deeply lined in thought, his head is highly domed; His coat is dusty from neglect, his whiskers are uncombed." Once again, this description is a close parallel to that of Professor Moriarty:
His appearance was quite familiar to me. He is extremely tall and thin, his forehead domes out in a white curve, and his two eyes are deeply sunken in his head...his face protrudes forward and is forever oscillating from side to side in a curiously reptilian fashion.
The poem accuses Macavity of misbehaviour that would be within the capabilities of an ordinary cat, such as stealing milk, but also holds him responsible for major crimes. He is referred to as a "fiend in feline shape, a monster of depravity" and has been suspected of stifling Pekes, vandalism, theft, cheating at cards, espionage and controlling an organised crime ring with Mungojerrie, Rumpleteazer and Griddlebone among the members. Holmes in Doyle's narrative describes Moriarty as "the organizer of half that is evil and of nearly all that is undetected in this great city."
Webster and Starr assumed that Eliot referred to the cases of Mr. Joseph Harrison (The Adventure of the Naval Treaty) and Herr Hugo Oberstein (The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans) when he wrote in the poem – "And when the Foreign Office finds a Treaty's gone astray,/ And the admirality loses some plans and drawings by the way".[10]
Macavity's "powers of levitation would make a fakir stare", as he "breaks the law of gravity".
Musical
Grzegorz Suski as Macavity in the non-replica production of Cats in Roma Musical Theatre in Warsaw, 9 November 2007
Within the storyline of the musical, Macavity makes several attempts to scare the tribe. This culminates in his abduction of Old Deuteronomy, after which two queen cats, Bombalurina and Demeter, sing about him. He then returns disguised as Old Deuteronomy, but is unmasked by Demeter. Munkustrap and Alonzo come to her defense and, in a dramatic cat fight, battle him. Confronted and surrounded by other tribe members, he manages to escape. As seen in the film production and most stage performances, he appears to be capable of performing some form of hypnosis. When Demeter and Bombalurina (a flirty queen cat who is close friends with Demeter)[12] sing about him, they do so in a sensuous manner, suggesting he is more familiar to them. The Macavity number develops from a bluesy duet into a big female ensemble routine.[17]
Macavity is typically depicted as a cat with a chaotic array of red, orange, white, and sharp black stripes. He is often portrayed with very long claws and wild dark hair. The role of Macavity is usually played by the same actor as Plato (a chorus cat who notably does a pas de deux with Victoria during the Jellicle Ball). His costume is ginger and white, and specifically includes a simple make-up design that the actor transforms into the elaborate Macavity make-up, and then re-applies after the featured scene. Admetus/Plato is also often recognisable as one of the tallest cast members, as the fight scene between Macavity and Munkustrap requires him to be able to lift other male dancers.
Film
In the film Cats (2019), Macavity is played by Idris Elba. This version had a major role as a deranged villain with the intent of getting to the Heaviside Layer by any means. Throughout the film, he kidnapped all the other contestants so that he would be made the Jellicle choice by default.
In popular culture
Mystery Readers International presents the Macavity Awards annually in several categories, including Best Mystery Novel, Best First Mystery Novel, Best Bio/Critical Mystery Work, Best Mystery Short Story.
Polish author Maciej Wojtyszko's children's books feature a character named Macavity the Cat (polish Kot Makawity), a criminal mastermind who loses a chess duel with animal detective Kajetan Chrumps and is then persuaded to become Chrumps' assistant.
In the 1976 movie Logan's Run, Peter Ustinov's character says, "You're full of secrets as Macavity" and then quotes from the poem.
Gillian Robert's schoolteacher detective Amanda Pepper has an elderly male companion cat whose métier seems to be relaxation.[18] The following books by Roberts feature Macavity the cat: Claire and Present Danger (2003), Helen Hath No Fury (2001), Adam and Evil (1999), The Bluest Blood (1998), The Mummer's Curse (1996), How I Spent My Summer Vacation (1995), In the Dead of Summer (1995), With Friends Like These… (1993), I'd Rather Be in Philadelphia (1992), Philly Stakes (1989), Caught Dead in Philadelphia (1987).
Former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, when still Chancellor of the Exchequer, was likened to Macavity by Liberal Democrat Shadow Leader of the House, David Heath, who labelled Brown "the Macavity of the Cabinet" when talking about tax credits during Business Questions on 23 June 2005.[19]Lord Turnbull echoed this two years later, opining that "the chancellor has a Macavity quality. He is not there when there is dirty work to be done."[20]
Macavity is the name given by several bus drivers from the West Midlands, England to a white odd-eyed cat which, since January 2007, has been observed to regularly use the local bus service on its own.[22][23] Macavity's fur is reported to be completely white, he has a green left eye and a blue right eye, and he wears a purple collar. His owner and true name are unknown.
Related Research Articles
Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats (1939) is a collection of whimsical light poems by T. S. Eliot about feline psychology and sociology, published by Faber and Faber. It serves as the basis for Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1981 musical Cats.
Professor James Moriarty is a fictional character and criminal mastermind created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to be a formidable enemy for the author's fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. He was created primarily as a device by which Doyle could kill Holmes and end the hero's stories. Professor Moriarty first appears in the short story "The Adventure of the Final Problem", first published in The Strand Magazine in December 1893. He also plays a role in the final Sherlock Holmes novel The Valley of Fear, but without a direct appearance. Holmes mentions Moriarty in five other stories: "The Adventure of the Empty House", "The Adventure of the Norwood Builder", "The Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter", "The Adventure of the Illustrious Client", and "His Last Bow".
Cats is a sung-through musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. It is based on the 1939 poetry collection Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot. The musical tells the story of a tribe of cats called the Jellicles and the night they make the "Jellicle choice" by deciding which cat will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new life. As of 2024, Cats remains the fifth-longest-running Broadway show and the eighth-longest-running West End show.
Rum Tum Tugger is one of the many feline characters in the 1939 poetry book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot, and in the 1981 musical Cats which is based on Eliot's book. Rum Tum Tugger is a rebellious Jellicle cat who loves to be the center of attention.
Old Deuteronomy is a character in T. S. Eliot's 1939 Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats and its 1981 musical adaptation, Cats. He is a wise and beloved elderly cat, further serving as the Jellicle patriarch in the musical. The role of Old Deuteronomy was originated by Brian Blessed in the West End in 1981, and by Ken Page on Broadway in 1982. Judi Dench plays Old Deuteronomy in the 2019 film adaptation.
Colonel Sebastian Moran is a fictional character in the stories written by Arthur Conan Doyle. An enemy of Sherlock Holmes, he first appears in the 1903 short story "The Adventure of the Empty House". Holmes once described him as "the second most dangerous man in London", the most dangerous being Professor Moriarty, Moran's employer.
Mr. Mistoffelees is a character in T. S. Eliot's 1939 poetry book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats and its 1981 musical adaptation, Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats. Mistoffelees is a young black-and-white tuxedo cat with magical powers that he cannot yet fully control. He is a featured dancer and his signature move is the "Conjuring Turn", consisting of 24 consecutive fouettés en tournant. His chorus identity is sometimes named Quaxo.
Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer are fictional characters in T. S. Eliot's 1939 poetry book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. The Jellicle cat duo are mischievous petty thieves who often cause trouble for their human family. Although originally published as part of a collection, the poem "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer" was published as a standalone book by Faber and Faber in 2018.
Munkustrap is a Jellicle cat from T. S. Eliot's 1939 poem "The Naming of Cats". He is a principal character and the main narrator in Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1981 musical Cats, which is based on Eliot's poems.
Cats is a 1998 British direct-to-video musical film based on the 1981 stage musical of the same name by Andrew Lloyd Webber, itself based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats (1939) by T. S. Eliot. Lloyd Webber oversaw orchestration and called on Gillian Lynne, the show's original choreographer, to train the cast members. David Mallet served as the director of this production.
Growltiger is a fictional character appearing in both T. S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats and Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Cats which is based on Eliot's book. He is described as a "bravo cat who lived upon a barge", one who scoured the Thames from Gravesend to Oxford, terrorizing the inhabitants along the river, including "cottagers", canaries, geese, hens, "pampered Pekinese", and the "bristly Bandicoot that lurks on foreign ships". Growltiger is usually envisioned as a pirate, although he is never explicitly described as such. He has lost one eye, and one of his ears is "somewhat missing" after an incident involving a Siamese cat.
The Great Rumpus Cat is a fictional character from T.S. Eliot's 1939 book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats and in Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1981 musical, Cats.
"(Of) The Awefull Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles" is a poem by T. S. Eliot included in Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, his 1939 book of light verse. It is also included in Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1981 musical Cats, which is an adaptation of the book.
Jellylorum is a principal character in the musical Cats. One of the Jellicle cats, she is usually portrayed as a motherly caretaker and is principally a vocalist. The musical is based on the 1939 collection of poems by T. S. Eliot from Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, and Jellylorum is named after the poet's own cat.
Demeter is a main character in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Cats. The musical is an adaptation of T. S. Eliot's 1939 poetry book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, and the character's name is given in the poem "The Naming of Cats". Demeter is a very troubled and skittish female Jellicle cat. The role was originated by Sharon Lee-Hill in the West End in 1981, and by Wendy Edmead on Broadway in 1982. Daniela Norman played this role in the 2019 film adaptation.
Bombalurina is a principal character in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Cats. The musical is an adaptation of T. S. Eliot's 1939 poetry book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, and the character's name is given in the poem "The Naming of Cats". Bombalurina is a flirtatious, confident female and mischievous cat with a distinct red coat. The role was originated by Geraldine Gardner in the West End in 1981, and by Donna King on Broadway in 1982. In the 2019 film adaptation, she is played by Taylor Swift.
Jellicle cats are a fictional type of feline from Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, a 1939 collection of light poetry by T. S. Eliot. Jellicle cats were adapted for the 1981 stage musical Cats by Andrew Lloyd Webber, where the wide array of diverse Jellicles is central to the musical's worldbuilding.
"The Naming of Cats" is a poem in T. S. Eliot's 1939 poetry book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. It was adapted into a musical number in Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1981 musical Cats, and has also been quoted in other films, notably Logan's Run (1976). The poem describes to humans how cats get their names.
Cats is a 2019 musical fantasy film based on the 1981 West End musical Cats by Andrew Lloyd Webber, which in turn was based on the 1939 poetry collection Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot. The film was directed by Tom Hooper, in his second feature musical following Les Misérables (2012), from a screenplay by Lee Hall and Hooper. It features an ensemble cast, including James Corden, Judi Dench, Jason Derulo, Idris Elba, Jennifer Hudson, Ian McKellen, Taylor Swift, Rebel Wilson and Francesca Hayward in her film debut.
Professor James Moriarty is the fictional archenemy of Sherlock Holmes in some of the stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. He has appeared in several forms outside of the original stories.
1 2 Webster, H.T.; Starr, H.W. (October 1954). "Macavity: An Attempt to Unravel His Mystery". The Baker Street Journal. 4. The Baker Street Irregulars: 205–210.
1 2 3 David E. Chinitz, A Companion to T. S. Eliot, page 231, John Wiley and Sons, 2009, ISBN1-4051-6237-6
↑ Morag Styles, From the garden to the street: an introduction to 300 years of poetry for children (Volume 1997), page 217, Surendra Kumar 1998, ISBN0-304-33222-4
↑ Stephen Tunnicliffe, Poetry experience: teaching and writing poetry in secondary schools, page 38, Taylor & Francis, 1984, ISBN0-416-34600-6
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