Is this an archaism of the word "Why"? [duplicate]

‘Why’ isn’t being used here with the same meaning as ‘because’, it is being used as an exclamation. Imagine that, instead of using ‘why’, the animal speaking used ‘Hell’, as in: “Hell, I knew a macaw once who could...”

Check out the second definition of ‘Why’ on the Cambridge English Dictionary site: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/why

It says: used to express surprise or anger

Here is an example of another sentence from the same site: “Why, if it isn't old Georgie Frazer!”

Also, considering the fact that you can join in on any gathering of old Southern women (American) and hear them use this as an exclamation more than once (especially, ‘Why, I never!’), I would say it isn’t archaic. But, I have no idea how long this exclamation has been in use.