Evil is a commonly used theme in literature; it is used to provide contrast between the protagonist and his trials. In Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, Shakespeare's Othello, and Edgar Allan Poe's “The Cask of Amontillado,” the horror of evil manifests itself in the plot, influencing the characters in the story. Evil is embodied in the story because of those who overlook it, its concentration in one character, and its manipulative power. Characters who encounter evil often pass it off as nothing; they minimize the suspicion of malevolence. Marlow recalls his meeting with the company doctor: "I always ask permission, in the interests of science, to measure the skulls of those who go out there," he said. «And also when will they return?» I asked. “Oh, I never see them,” he observed; “and, besides, changes happen on the inside, you know.” He smiled as if at a quiet joke. “So you're going out there. Famous. Interesting, too." He gave me a searching look and made another note. "Has there ever been any madness in your family?" he asked, matter-of-factly. I felt very annoyed. (Conrad 38) Marlow ignores this troubling information, continuing unaware of his unfortunate path to an encounter with evil. Marlow also recalls that there was "a touch of madness" (Conrad 41) when his crew comes across a French ship firing on the African coast crazy evil, but continues to continue his doomed journey into the heart of darkness retrospective thoughts on his first moments in Congo: We visited some other places with farcical names... all along the featureless coast bordered by a dangerous undertow, as if the Nature itself had tried to ward off intruders in and out of the rivers, the streams; death in life, whose ba...... middle of paper ......antillado”. due to the unawareness of the characters, especially when greed, lust and gluttony afflict them. Furthermore, evil manifests itself in a character such as Kurtz, Iago, or Montresor, which then influences the rest of the characters in the story. As a result, characters who are the epitome of evil and darkness abuse the power of evil to manipulate others and further spread malevolence. Evil becomes prevalent when there is no action; it can be used to manipulate and then destroy. Works Cited Conrad, Joseph, and Paul O'Prey. Heart of Darkness. London: Penguin, 1989. Print.Poe, Edgar Allan. “Barrel of Amontillado”. Pantry. ITA 4U1 (Mrs. Fergus). Assumption University School. November 2013. Print.Shakespeare, William and Roma Gill. Othello. Rev. ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993. Print.