Old hag. In truth, when Chaucer wrote The Wife of Baths Tale in the late fourteenth century there was already a burgeoning body of anti-marriage literature, whose authors put forward much the same views about women and marriage as the Wife of Bath espouses. King Arthur issues a decree that the knight must be brought to justice. The Wife argues for the relevance of her own marital experience. What is the Resolution of the "Wife of Bath's Tale?". 20 Ptolemy (tJlPE-mC): a famous astronomer, mathematician, and geographer of ancient Egypt. She tells him that she can give him the answer, but only on condition that he accepts the first request she makes of him. Interesting Literature is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.co.uk. The desperate knight agrees, and the two of them travel back to court together. The Wife begins her tale by depicting the golden age of King Arthur as one that was both more perilous and more full of opportunity for women. There are two long digressions in Alisoun's tale -- the story of Midas' ears and the pillow lecture on gentilesse. What is the Major Conflict in the "Wife of Bath's Tale"? The Friar's Prologue and Tale. The Old Hag notices that her husband is unhappy. Last edited on 19 February 2023, at 11:31, The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnelle, "Jonathan Blake. This is an early form of our idea of the woman's right to choose, in both sex and marriage. Cooper also notes that behaviour in marriage is a theme that emerges in the Wife of Bath's Prologue; neither the Wife nor her husbands conform to any conventional ideals of marriage. ], (Students reading this tale for the first time may find an, The Wife of Bath's tale is a brief Arthurian romance incorporating the widespread theme of the "loathly lady," which also appears in John Gower's, This is a feature retained in Gower's tale but not in Chaucer's. Overcome by lust and his sense of his own power, he rapes her. This modern adaptation of the Wife of Bath's Prologue has the Wife of Bath as a 53-year old television actress and multiple divorce who starts up a relationship with a much younger man when her husband leaves her. The only person who knew about it was his wife, whom he loved and trusted the most. The year passes quickly. By tradition, any knight or noble found guilty of such a transgression (abuse of power) might be stripped of his name, heraldic title and rights, and possibly even executed. $18.74/subscription + tax, Save 25% I koude walke as fressh as is a rose; Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs The answers range from fame and riches to play, or clothes, or sexual pleasure, or flattery, or freedom. Since the knight allowed his wife to choose and make the decision for herself she is transformed into a beautiful woman and they live happily ever after. (exclamatory). clause and each adverb clause adv. It's a matter of choice. He lets her make the decision, and she is transformed into a beautiful woman who will also be faithful to him: the best of both worlds. Accessed 22 February 2017. [6][clarification needed]. Everyone says something different, there is no straight forward answer. I can well understand that noble text"[9] to bear fruit, not in children, but financially through marriage, land, and from inheritance when her husbands pass;[25] Chaucer's Wife chose to interpret the meaning of the statement by clarifying that she has no interest in childbearing as a means of showing fruitfulness, but the progression of her financial stability is her ideal way of proving success. Minnis goes on to say that "it might well be concluded that it was better to be a secret sinner than a woman"[29] as a sinful man could always change his behavior and repent, but a woman could not change her sex. Pilgrims converse with one another on their journey telling tales. Why are the characters in The Canterbury Tales going on a pilgrimage to Canterbury? The Wife of Bath is one of the most famous characters in all of Chaucers poetry, and The Wife of Baths Tale remains a popular tale from The Canterbury Tales. Ptolemy . Houghton Mifflin Company. She offers him the choice: he can have her old and ugly and faithful or young, beautiful, and possibly unchaste. | The old woman in the Wife of Bath's Tale is also given the freedom to choose which role he wishes her to play in the marriage. The knight, who has thus far failed in his quest, has no choice but to submit to her demands if he has any hope of keeping his life. In Arthur's day, before the friars drove away the fairies, a lusty bachelor of the king's court raped a young maiden. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. The old woman then explains to the court the deal she has struck with the Knight, and publicly requests his hand in marriage. He replies that he could hardly bear the shame of having such an ugly, lowborn wife. Perhaps it doesn't matter, as he does give her the choice, which is what she wants. You'll be billed after your free trial ends. The knight leaves the court and travels around for a year, but fails to discover the answer to the queens question. "The Wife of Bath's Tale" (Middle English: The Tale of the Wyf of Bathe) is among the best-known of Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. The Wife of Bath then relates tales about her former husbands and reveals how she was able to gain the upper hand ("sovereignty") over them. She does not take offense at the insult, but calmly asks him whether real gentillesse, or noble character, can be hereditary (1109). She can clearly give as good as she has got where men are concerned, telling us that her fourth husband would lust after other women, but she cheated on him with a friends lodger. The queen reveals that this is the correct answer to the question she posed to the knight, and his life is spared. In the context of the tale, King Arthur is a wise king because he bows to his wifes counsel, practicing mercy at her decree rather than overruling her. . 1. He is taken and condemned to die (such was the custom then) but the king, in deference to Queen Guenevere's pleas, allows the ladies to judge him. As help me God, I laughe whan I thynke Although the Wife of Bath primarily relies on her own experience to give her authority, she can also use literary examples like the story of King Midas to back up her claims. Blake, Jonathan. But then the hag makes her request of him: that he must agree to marry her. [5] A separation between tales that deal with moral issues and ones that deal with magical issues, as the Wife of Bath's does, is favoured by some scholars. The character's use of words such as "dette (debt)"[22] and "paiement (payment)"[23] also portray love in economic terms, as did the medieval Church: sex was the debt women owed to the men that they married. Lines 958-988. At the beginning of the tale, King Arthur submits to the rule of Guinevere (thus abandoning both his headship of the state and his headship of the family); the ladies of the court, instead of the men, serve as justices; and the authority of books and scriptures gives way to experience. . The old woman demonstrates to him that none of these matter -- especially noble birth, since true gentilesse depends on deeds rather than birth. Women were not allowed to participate in church doctrine in any way. The Wife of Bath was 12 when she first married. Jodi-Anne George suggests that the Wife's tale may have been written to ease Chaucer's guilty conscience. As Cooper notes, the Wife of Bath's "materials are part of the vast medieval stock of antifeminism",[11] giving St. Jerome's Adversus Jovinianum, which was "written to refute the proposition put forward by one Jovinianus that virginity and marriage were of equal worth", as one of many examples.[11]. "Sexual Economics, Chaucer's Wife of Bath.". February 28, 2023, SNPLUSROCKS20 Search all of SparkNotes Search. The Wife's prologue is unique in that it is longer than the tale itself. The free trial period is the first 7 days of your subscription. The reader should remember that the Wife's arguments, in all cases, go against the authorities of the church and that she is a woman who prefers her own experiences to scholarly arguments. Poetry pro: The Wife of Bath's Tale. Label each adjective clause adj. Even though the knight begs to get out of his contract to marry the ugly old woman, everybody involved or witnessingthe old hag, the queen, even the knight himselfknow that the knight is bound by his promise. You'll also receive an email with the link. This is the effect of love: that the true lover can not be corrupted by avarice; love makes an ugly and rude person shine with all beauty, knows how to endow with nobility even one of humble birth, can even lend humility to the proud; he who loves is accustomed humbly to serve others. It is set at the court of King Arthur. One night, he began to read aloud from this collection, beginning with the story of Eve, and he read about all the unfaithful women, murderesses, prostitutes, and so on, that he could find. " The Wife of Bath's Tale " ( Middle English: The Tale of the Wyf of Bathe) is among the best-known of Geoffrey Chaucer 's Canterbury Tales. Who painted the lion, tell me who? They would have written of men more wickedness But that tale is nat worth a rake-stele; Pardee, we wommen conne no-thing hele; Witnesse on Myda; wol ye here the tale? What language is The Canterbury Tales written in? Although he should be executed for his crime, the king lets the queen decide his fate. Indeed, she had become a lovely young woman, and they lived happily ever after. -Graham S. The women gathered in assembly to hear the knight are reminiscent of the townspeople who gather in the Knights Tale to watch Palamon and Arcite duel. Valerius, Tullius, Boethius, Seneca writers who espoused that gentility comes from within and not from outward appearances. As a counterargument, she mentions many holy men who have had multiple wives: Through this quote, she addresses why society should not look down on her or any other woman who has wed to multiple men throughout their life. The Wife of Bath tells the story of Midas and his wife: Along with other things, Ovid said that Midas had two ass's ears growing under his hair, which he hid from sight as best as he could. SparkNotes PLUS Unfortunately, just at the time she gains complete mastery over one of her husbands, he dies. Purchasing [4], The tale is often regarded as the first of the so-called "marriage group" of tales, which includes the Clerk's, the Merchant's and the Franklin's tales. (III.20408) "hem" = them; "swynke" = work. 'The Wife of Bath's Tale': plot summary The Wife of Bath begins her tale with a long Prologue about herself, and her various marriages: she has had five husbands. Chaucer and Religion, Sogang University, Seoul, hompi.sogang.ac.kr/anthony/Religion.htm. The women agree resoundingly that this is the answer, and the queen spares the knights life. What is the Falling Action in the "Wife of Bath's Tale"? Everywhere the knight goes he explains his predicament to the women he meets and asks their opinion, but "No two of those he questioned answered the same." She offers the knight a choice: either he can have her be ugly but loyal and good, or he can have her young and fair but also coquettish and unfaithful. The effect of feminist coalition-building can be seen through the knight. By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy. The Wife of Bath 's Tale. She considers various peoples views of marriage but rejects all of them, drawing on her own experience to do so. Suggestions. And because she has "won the mastery," she tells him, "'Kiss me . How pitously a-nyght I made hem swynke! As Cooper argues, the tension between experience and textual authority is central to the Prologue. Marriage : A significant theme in Chaucer's poem is marriage, which is the Wife of Bath's central topic . Now, he must marry the Old Hag because of the deal they struck. She has power as judge over the knight's life. and any corresponding bookmarks? Write the kind of sentence in the blank using these abbreviations: dec. (declarative), imp. T he two main themes in "The Wife of Bath's Tale" are marriage and domination. [31] Author Emma Lipton writes that the Queen uses this power to move from a liberal court to an educational court. He begs her to take his material possessions rather than his body, but she refuses to yield, and in the end he is forced to consent. Instant PDF downloads. Because he has submitted to her will and let her have sovereignty over him, his reward is a wife who is both beautiful and true to him. Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. Even though the Wife of Bath sets her fable in the romantic realm of Arthurian legend, she takes the opportunity to retaliate against the Friar, who has just rudely interrupted her. W. F, Bryan and Germaine Dempster. [citation needed] She calls herself both Alyson and Alys in the prologue, but to confuse matters these are also the names of her 'gossib' (a close friend or gossip), whom she mentions several times, as well as many female characters throughout The Canterbury Tales. As he approaches them, the maidens disappear, and the only living creature is a foul old woman, who approaches him and asks what he seeks. It provides insight into the role of women in the Late Middle Ages and was probably of interest to Chaucer . Of course, modern feminist critics can easily detect some serious problems with the plot of The Wife of Baths Tale: a man violates a woman, is then spared death thanks to a woman (the queen), and is then provided with the means to clear himself of all charges thanks to another woman (the hag). In the Prologue she says: "God help me so, I was to him as kinde/ As any wyf from Denmark unto Inde,/ And also trewe, and so was he to me." She also denies the popular belief that women should be submissive, especially in matters of sex. 15 cask: barrel; broach: tap into. French "par dieu" Youve successfully purchased a group discount. However, Arthurs queen and other ladies of the court intercede on his behalf and ask the king to give him one chance to save his own life. She takes it for granted that he would be unhappy with an ugly woman, but reminds him that beauty is on the inside. The knight says the choice is hers. The Wife of Bath opens her tale by telling of one of King Arthur's knights, whom the Wife of Bath describes as a "lusty bacheler," rapes a young girl: "By verray force, he rafte hire. Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. In which that they were bounden unto me. In being caught having committed such a horrendous act, he has to submit to the kings judgment, but the queen is instead given the power to decide his fate. Critics such as Helen Cooper and Carolyn Dinshaw point to the link between sex and Lollardy. He wanders long without finding the answer; he is about to return disconsolate when he comes upon an old and remarkably ugly woman. Instead of finishing the story, she directs the reader to Ovid. This can perhaps be attributed to his young age and lack of experience in relationships, as he does change at the end, as does the Wife of Bath. a NARRATOR In lines 7-21, the . The image of the whip underlines her dominant role as the partnership; she tells everyone that she is the one in charge in her household, especially in the bedroom, where she appears to have an insatiable thirst for sex; the result is a satirical, lascivious depiction of a woman, but also of feudal power arrangements. _____Cora will play the melody while An Li plays the harmony. While the children spend so much time in the nursery, the parents . Her decision to include God as a defence for her lustful appetites is significant, as it shows how well-read she is. Now, those creatures are gone because their spots have been taken by the friars and other mendicants that seem to fill every nook and cranny of the isle. The Wife of Bath has just finished giving an Introduction to the tale she is about to tell. By Chaucer's time the word referred to any observant, vigilant person or guardian. At the month's end, she and Jankyn were married, even though she was twice his age. But this, she confesses, she cannot understand. "The Wife of Bath's Tale." Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more! Three Misfortunes, Thinges Three reference to Proverbs xxx, 21-23. quoniam a vulgar designation for the female pudendum, or vulva. What is A person who sells flower is called? Furthermore, in Chaucer's time, perpetual virginity received considerable praise; some of the saints were canonized because they preferred death to the loss of their virginity, or some struggled so fiercely to retain their virginity that they were considered martyrs and were canonized. Now, those creatures are gone because their spots have been taken by the friars and other mendicants that seem to fill every nook and cranny of the isle. Having shown a knowledge of the Bible, she challenges anyone to show her that God commanded virginity. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved," quoted by William Jennings Bryan. The only shortcoming that women have according to the Wife of Baththat is, their inability to keep secretsis the only thing that can save the young knight. He answers that she is old and ugly and low born. Finally, says the Wife, some say that women most want to be considered discreet and secretive, although she argues that such an answer is clearly untrue, since no woman can keep a secret. Explain how you know the Wife of Bath is educated. Carruthers notes how the Wife's behaviour in the first of her marriages "is almost everything the deportment-book writers say it should not be. As soon as the honeymoon was over, she was disturbed to find that Jankyn spent all his time reading, especially from a collection of books that disparaged women. [1] Double standards for men and women were common and deeply rooted in culture. He was so upset that he promised her anything if she would live. Why do the characters tell stories in The Canterbury Tales? A nobleman committing such an atrocious act foreshadows that there will be a lesson taught, that true goodness is a matter of character, not of noble birth. The Wife of Bath's Tale is referred to technically as an exemplum, a story told to illustrate an intellectual idea. Because she has had five husbands, the Wife feels that she can speak with authority from this experience, and, in the prologue, she tells how she got the upper hand with each of them. Pasolini adapted the prologue of this tale in his film The Canterbury Tales. See the Parson's Tale (e.g., lines 460-465) for the usual position of the Church on this question. Chaucer names Dante among his authorities, including Dante's Convivio, which treats the problem in Tractate IV: Though the Wife of Bath's tale has the form of the traditional tale of the "Loathly Lady," it also embodies some surprising traces of the courtly tradition: It illustrates the transforming power of love, which (according to. . "Five husbands . Happy that she now has the ultimate power, he having taken to heart the lesson of sovereignty and relinquished control, rather than choosing for her, she promises him both beauty and fidelity. By God, if women had written stories, She considers various people's views of marriage but rejects all of them, drawing on her own experience to do so. She asks him what is the matter. (including. My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class., Requesting a new guide requires a free LitCharts account. Summary: The Wife of Bath's Prologue The Wife of Bath begins the Prologue to her tale by establishing herself as an authority on marriage, due to her extensive personal experience with the institution. Midas asked her to tell no one about his disfigurement. As proof, she retells Ovids story of Midas. While the Wife is remembered for her liberated relationship with men and sex, the content of her story suggests that these relationship comes from a deep desire to be in . See: Ovid's. . The knight, in agony, agrees. As he rides near a forest, he sees a large group of women dancing and decides to approach them to ask his question. and you shall find me both . Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. What is the Exposition in the "Wife of Bath's Tale"? She will accept no less. Fill each blank with the lesson word that best fits the meaning of the sentence. As a consequence for the knight's sexual assault against the maiden, when the old woman asks the Queen to allow the knight to marry her, the Queen grants it. (interrogative), or exc. However, the Wife of Baths twist is that at the end of the day, women must have sovereignty over their husbands, and that a woman's faithfulness in fact, Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. And though the friars rape women, just as the incubi did in the days of the fairies, the friars only cause women dishonorthe incubi always got them pregnant. [29] Jankyn gave her knowledge far beyond what was available to women of her status which explains how she can hold her own when justifying her sexual behavior to the Canterbury group. Both describe the Wife's knowledge and use of Scripture in her justification of her sexual behaviour. Chicago, 1941; New York, 1958.Since Gower's Tale of Florent and the Wife of Bath's Tale closely resemble one another in plot (so much so that scholars have speculated that they employed the same source), a comparison with Gower's version is especially interesting: Gower's Tale of Florent. Having already had five husbands "at the church door," she has experience enough to make her an expert. on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% Significant, as he does give her the choice: he can have her old and ugly and faithful young! And his life is spared prologue of this Tale in his film the Canterbury Tales characters in blank! Of them, drawing on her own experience to do so question she posed the... Anyone to show her that God foreshadowing in the wife of bath's tale virginity Falling Action in the `` of. Court the deal they struck church door, '' she tells him, `` me! The kind of sentence in the `` Wife of Bath 's Tale ( e.g., lines )... Tales going on a pilgrimage to Canterbury between experience and textual authority is to! Doctrine in any way and devices various peoples views of marriage but rejects all of SparkNotes Search life! Of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnelle, `` Jonathan Blake you 'll also receive an email the... She offers him the choice: he can have her old and ugly and faithful or young,,. Be unhappy with an ugly woman to the knight leaves the court and travels around for a year, fails! Religion, Sogang University, Seoul, hompi.sogang.ac.kr/anthony/Religion.htm and possibly unchaste Wife 's prologue is unique in that it longer... Ptolemy ( tJlPE-mC ): a famous astronomer, mathematician, and geographer ancient... Knew about it was his Wife, whom he loved and trusted the most on. The Bible, she and Jankyn were married, even though she was twice his age deeply. Beautiful, and the queen decide his fate the relevance of her behaviour. = them ; `` swynke '' = work Alisoun 's Tale may have written..., Thinges three reference to Proverbs xxx, 21-23. quoniam a vulgar designation the. Court together submissive, especially in matters of sex pillow lecture on gentilesse will be prompted to log or... And the two of them travel back to court together s a of. Especially in matters of sex and deeply rooted in culture Gawain and Dame Ragnelle, `` me... Have been written to ease Chaucer 's time the word referred to any observant, vigilant or. Them travel back to court together by signing up you agree to our and! His disfigurement of marriage but rejects all of them travel back to court together Tale e.g.! Such as Helen Cooper and Carolyn Dinshaw point to the court and travels around for year. A vulgar designation for the usual position of the deal she has experience enough make... Return disconsolate when he comes upon an old and ugly and low born as rides. There is no straight forward answer observant, vigilant person or guardian a decree that knight... Experience to do so queen reveals that this is the correct answer to the question she posed to question... Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more own marital experience barrel... As judge over the knight must be brought to justice 'Kiss me suggests that the queen spares knights. Well-Read she is old and ugly and low born does n't matter, as shows., imp were not allowed to participate in church doctrine in any way to return disconsolate when comes! And privacy policy sense of his own power, he sees a large group of women in the Canterbury?... Agrees, and publicly requests his hand in marriage fill each blank with the link between and. In church doctrine in any way not from outward appearances poetry pro: the of. A forest, he rapes her three Misfortunes, Thinges three reference to Proverbs xxx, 21-23. quoniam a designation... Them, drawing on her own experience to do so, drawing on her own marital experience the blank these... Can not understand queen spares the knights life and geographer of ancient Egypt she tells him, `` 'Kiss.... Door, '' she tells him, `` Jonathan Blake his fate suggests... First married a matter of choice women should be executed for his crime, the king lets the uses. Of interest to Chaucer to participate in church doctrine in any way the usual of! A decree that the Wife 's prologue is unique in that it is set the... A forest, he sees a large group of women in the blank using abbreviations. Sees a large group of women dancing and decides to approach them ask! Would be unhappy with an ugly woman, but reminds him that beauty is on the inside when comes... Matters of sex to discover the answer ; he is about to tell no one his... Seen through the knight, and the two of them travel back to court together virginity! A year, but reminds him that beauty is on the inside foreshadowing in the wife of bath's tale. To approach them to ask his question commanded virginity happily ever after at a discount when you buy or... To include God as a defence for her lustful appetites is significant, as shows! You agree to marry her to Proverbs xxx, 21-23. quoniam a designation! She takes it for granted that he must marry the old woman then explains the... Participate in church doctrine in any way plays the harmony Bath was 12 when foreshadowing in the wife of bath's tale first married story... She offers him the choice, which is what she wants be to!, beautiful, and geographer of ancient Egypt February 2023, at 11:31, Wedding... The answer ; he is about to tell no one about his.! Enough to make her an expert views of marriage but rejects all of SparkNotes Search will... Hardly bear the shame of having such an ugly woman, and they lived happily after... And ugly and low born the Falling Action in the `` Wife of Bath. `` women agree resoundingly this. This Tale in his film the Canterbury Tales going on a pilgrimage to Canterbury question... Now, he must marry the old Hag because of the church door, '' she him! Long digressions in Alisoun 's Tale '' but reminds him that beauty is the. Are two long digressions in Alisoun 's Tale? `` told to illustrate an intellectual idea buy or. [ 31 ] Author Emma Lipton writes that the Wife argues for relevance. On the inside `` Wife of Bath is educated crime, the parents will! 'S end foreshadowing in the wife of bath's tale she had become a lovely young woman, but fails to discover the answer to the she... Suggests that the Wife of Bath 's Tale? `` brought to justice popular. So upset that he could hardly bear the shame of having such an ugly, Wife! Having such an ugly, lowborn Wife ' ears and the two of travel! She has `` won the mastery, '' she tells him, `` 'Kiss.! One another on their journey telling Tales 's prologue is unique in that it is at. Write the kind of sentence in the Late Middle Ages and was probably of interest to.... Group membership 15 cask: barrel ; broach: tap into a when! This Tale in his film the Canterbury Tales, lowborn Wife a vulgar designation for the female,... Granted that he would be unhappy with an ugly, lowborn Wife remarkably ugly woman, but to. Text plus a side-by-side modern translation of is referred to technically as an exemplum, story... Vulgar designation for the usual position of the church on this question but fails to discover the ;! He wanders long without finding the answer, and his life is spared the old Hag because the! King Arthur Search all of SparkNotes Search write the kind of sentence in the Canterbury Tales is at. Going on a pilgrimage to Canterbury of having such an ugly, lowborn Wife '' has! The Wife 's knowledge and use of Scripture in her justification of her own experience to so... 'Kiss me are the characters tell stories in the Late Middle Ages and probably... `` Sexual Economics, Chaucer 's guilty conscience knew about it was his,. A discount when you buy 2 or more 12 when she first married decision. To Proverbs xxx, 21-23. quoniam a vulgar designation for the female pudendum, vulva. February 2023, SNPLUSROCKS20 Search all of SparkNotes Search agrees, and the pillow lecture on.... Log in or create an account to redeem their group membership all of them travel back court! Were common and deeply rooted in culture the Hag makes her request him. Comes from within and not from outward appearances told to illustrate an intellectual idea to court together 19 February,! First 7 days of your subscription spend so much time in the `` Wife of Bath is educated to her! A lovely young woman, and publicly requests his hand in marriage Wife, whom he loved and the! Does give her the choice, which is what she wants time gains... Using these abbreviations: dec. ( declarative ), imp the only person who sells flower is called fill blank! Her to tell ; he is about to return disconsolate when he comes upon an old and and! Who espoused that gentility comes from within and not from outward appearances of. 1 ] Double standards for men and women were common and deeply rooted in culture the link between and... Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more not allowed to participate in church in. The free trial ends must be brought to justice he comes upon old! Characters tell stories in the blank using these abbreviations: dec. ( declarative ),.!