Arda: a Pillar Raised to a Summit more Bitter than a Needle

[Eljorahir]

On page 6 there’s this splendid example of one of Tolkien’s awesomely beautiful run-on sentences. However, I get lost in this sentence every time I read it. What are your thoughts? What does it mean? Is it Tolkien's way of saying “there are more things in heaven and earth" than are dreamt of in our philosophies?

'Now the Children of Iluvatar are Elves and Men, the Firstborn and the Followers. And amid all the splendours of the World, its vast halls and spaces, and its wheeling fires, Iluvatar chose a place for their habitation in the Deeps of Time and in the midst of the innumerable stars. And this habitation might seem a little thing to those who consider only the majesty of the Ainur, and not their terrible sharpness; as who should take the whole field of Arda for the foundation of a pillar and so raise it until the cone of its summit were more bitter than a needle; or who consider only the immeasurable vastness of the World, which still the Ainur are shaping, and not the minute precision to which they shape all things therein.'

Is this what I’m supposed to imagine? The world as a pillar which has been extended off into the distance, ending in a sharp point? If so, how does that help me understand the idea being conveyed?

 

[Starbrow]

And where does this fit into the flat Middle Earth vs. always round Middle Earth debate?

 

[Idril Celebrindal]

On page 6 there’s this splendid example of one of Tolkien’s awesomely beautiful run-on sentences. However, I get lost in this sentence every time I read it. What are your thoughts? What does it mean? Is it Tolkien's way of saying “there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in our philosophies”?

'Now the Children of Iluvatar are Elves and Men, the Firstborn and the Followers. And amid all the splendours of the World, its vast halls and spaces, and its wheeling fires, Iluvatar chose a place for their habitation in the Deeps of Time and in the midst of the innumerable stars. And this habitation might seem a little thing to those who consider only the majesty of the Ainur, and not their terrible sharpness; as who should take the whole field of Arda for the foundation of a pillar and so raise it until the cone of its summit were more bitter than a needle; or who consider only the immeasurable vastness of the World, which still the Ainur are shaping, and not the minute precision to which they shape all things therein.'

Is this what I’m supposed to imagine? The world as a pillar which has been extended off into the distance, ending in a sharp point? If so, how does that help me understand the idea being conveyed?
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as who should take the whole field of Arda for the foundation of a pillar and so raise it until the cone of its summit were more bitter than a needle

This kind of reminded me of the tower of Babel. Maybe it doesn't mean a literal pillar, but is comparing humanity's pride to a pillar like that. Maybe it's talking about how humans will immediately start building their own thing instead of stopping to appreciate everything the Valar have built. These are just speculations, though. I don't really know.

 

[Amalcarin]

Consider the difference of punctuation in what seems to be the original form of this passage:

And this habitation might seem a little thing to those who consider only the majesty of the Ainur, and not their terrible sharpness – as who should take the whole field of the Sun as the foundations of a pillar and so raise it until the cone of its summit was more bitter than a needle – or who consider only the immeasurable vastness of the World, which still the Ainur are shaping, and not the minute precision to which they shape all things therein (Morgoth’s Ring, p. 12).

Given how the phrase in question is set apart, I would say it is concerned with the Ainur and their hypothetical capabilities.

 

[Eljorahir]

the immeasurable vastness of the World, which still the Ainur are shaping, and not the minute precision to which they shape all things therein.

The "vastness" versus the "minute precision" reminds me of this old and excellent short film "Powers of Ten"...