One of the big questions about Othello is whether the feeling towards Othello, by other characters, is racism or just “otherness”. So far in the play there is definitely an underlying feeling that Othello is judged and resented for his skin color and his upbringing. One of the first examples of racism is in a line said by Iago, “Even now, now, now very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe” (1.1.96-98) Iago is referring to Othello as the “old black ram” demeaning Othello to the social status of an animal instead of a human being. The “white ewe” in this quote is of course Desdemona. Instead of referring to them as Othello and Desdemona, he decides to identify them by their skin color instead.
