Helen Cooper is Professor Emeritus of Medieval and Renaissance English at the University of Cambridge. After a Research Fellowship at Murray Edwards College, Cambridge, she was appointed to a tutorial fellowship at University College, Oxford, in medieval and early modern English in 1978, as their first woman fellow (and was later made an Honorary Fellow). She then moved to the Chair in Medieval and Renaissance English at Cambridge in 2004, at Magdalene College (Emeritus Professor and Life Fellow from 2014). She was a co-editor of Medium Ævum 1989-2002 and is a Fellow of the British Academy.

Review from previous edition 'marked by wit, learning, intelligence, and that rarest of critical virtues, good judgement...a genuine guide whose abundant information and good sense make it a sure foundation for series work on The Canterbury Tales. Although especially useful for those, on any level, studying Chaucer for the first time, experienced Chaucerians will find it a helpful companion to The Riverside Chaucer. For teaching or research this is now the first book on The Canterbury Tales to consult after reading the text itself.'

Helen Cooper is Professor Emeritus of Medieval and Renaissance English at the University of Cambridge. After a Research Fellowship at Murray Edwards College, Cambridge, she was appointed to a tutorial fellowship at University College, Oxford, in medieval and early modern English in 1978, as their first woman fellow (and was later made an Honorary Fellow). She then moved to the Chair in Medieval and Renaissance English at Cambridge in 2004, at Magdalene College (Emeritus Professor and Life Fellow from 2014). She was a co-editor of Medium Ævum 1989-2002 and is a Fellow of the British Academy.

Review from previous edition 'marked by wit, learning, intelligence, and that rarest of critical virtues, good judgement...a genuine guide whose abundant information and good sense make it a sure foundation for series work on The Canterbury Tales. Although especially useful for those, on any level, studying Chaucer for the first time, experienced Chaucerians will find it a helpful companion to The Riverside Chaucer. For teaching or research this is now the first book on The Canterbury Tales to consult after reading the text itself.'