Chaucer's Canterbury Tales is rich with literary devices that allow a reader to draw conclusions about its pilgrims and their characters. Physical descriptions were very important to the portrayal of a character which can be seen in Chaucer's extensive use of the science of physiognomy. Physiognomy was a kind of science that allowed the reader to judge moral character and temperament of a person based upon his outward appearance or anatomy. Chaucer uses physiognomy most frequently in the General Prologue to his Canterbury Tales when introducing the pilgrims in the group. The most exaggerated descriptions are those of the peasant's or lower class pilgrims, namely the Miller. Although the Chaucer uses physiognomy most prevalently with the Miller, this science is found in nearly every description of every character.
             The Miller's portrait is relatively short but the majority of it is devoted to describing his physical features. An excellent example of Chaucer's use of physiognomy begins at line 554 of the General Prologue.
             His beerd as any sowe or fox was reed,
             And therto brood, as though it were a spade;
             Upon the cop right of his nose he hade
             A werte, and theron stood a tuft of heres,
             Rede as the bristles of a sowes eres;
             His nosethirles blake were and wide.
             A swerd and a bokeler bar he by his side.
             His mouth as greet was as a greet furnais. (554-561)
             Translated literally, Chaucer was saying that the Miller's beard was a red as a fox or a sow and as broad as a spade. The Miller had a wart right on the tip of his nose and on the tip of that wart grew a tuft of hair that was as red as his beard. His nostrils were large and wide, almost like black holes. The Miller carried a sword and a shield by his side and his mouth was large like a furnace door.
             According to The Riverside Chaucer, the Miller represents the stereot
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