CS Lewis once said “a proud man always looks down on things and people: and, of course, as long as you look down you cannot see anything that is above tea. " In Christopher Marlowe's most famous play, Doctor Faustus, he explores how power and greed corrupt a person through Faustus. Faustus is an intelligent and proud scholar who has studied all the Noble Sciences starting with logic, then medicine, then law and conclude with the highest of all, divinity. However, even after reaching the pinnacle of his studies, Faustus is thirsty for further knowledge and power and turns to magic, believing it will transform him into "a mighty god" (Ii59). After signing an agreement with Lucifer and receiving unlimited power, he loses his ambition and his thirst for knowledge. He continues to abuse these powers for trivial reasons and, in the process, distances himself from God, from Heaven and therefore from the knowledge he desperately desired, transforming him "from a proud great scholar into a... mediocre magician." (SparkNotes.com, par. 7) Marlowe presents Faustus as a greedy, proud, wealthy man whose character flaws, along with many other factors, quickly begin his descent into mediocrity until he finally realizes his mistakes and wrongdoings and attempts to repent, but to no avail. Although many critics believe that Faustus is not a tragic hero, he is a character who fits Aristotle's definition of a tragic hero perfectly. Aristotle defines a tragic hero as a man of exceptional quality and greatness of noble birth whose tragic flaw leads to his own downfall. . Furthermore, the hero's fall must result in greater self-knowledge and awareness. Faustus, being a doctor who has studied logic, medicine, law and divinity, is intelligent... halfway...aware and, although too late, returns to himself. Faustus perfectly fills the role of the tragic hero that Marlowe created for him and which can easily be seen through Aristotle's definition of a tragic hero and the play itself. Works Cited Larson, John. "'Doctor Faustus' - Selling his soul to make a point." Luminarium: An Anthology of English Literature. Anniina Jokinen, 10 February 2003. Web. 6 January 2014Marlowe, Christopher and Sylvan Barnet. “GL Hunter: Five Act Structure.” Doctor Faustus. 2. Pre ed. New York: New American Library, 1969. 162. Print."Quotes on Pride." (511 citations). Np, nd Web. January 14, 2014. "Doctor Faustus: Themes, Motifs, and Symbols." SparkNote. B&W and Web. 6 January. 2014.