Can I use the phrase 'the dark man?'

[MagratsHair]

Hi, I don't come onto this board often, I probably should :)

In my book there's a spirit/ghost character who is usually seen in the peripheral vision only & moves in & out of shadows. When he does manifest he is a Victorian doctor so is dressed head to toe in black with a black hat. He's not a nice character & intends the others harm & stalks them. He is Caucasian.

Are the characters able to refer to him as 'the dark man' with dark meaning evil & unknown & causing fear?

Or is the phrase obsolete & people may take offence at the evil character constantly referred to as dark?

Not sure if I'm overthinking it tbh

www.joanne-sheppard.com/2011/04/darkmans-by-nicola-barker.html

Thanks Delicious :)

Are you telling me its OK to use it as somebody already has, or are you drawing my attention to the fact somebody has already used it so I shouldn't? Am I plagerising somebody that has already used a ghost character called the Darkmans?

should write a book on fecking overthinking instead!

You are the writer - you decide...

all of the above

The "Dark Man" and the "Dark Woman" are almost archetypes in all sorts of fiction and storytelling in many cultures. It's fine.