s conscience to recognize and accept his love for an actress, Sibyl Vane. Loving Sibyl Vane provides Dorian protection from Henry's influence. Although Henry's influence overpowers Dorian's conscience, his love for Sibyl overpowers both Henry's influence and Dorian's conscience. Dorian tells Lord Henry, "I do love her. She is everything to me in life" (Wilde 37). He later describes, "the mere touch of Sibyl Vane's hand makes me forget you and all your wrong, fascinating, poisonous, delightful theories" (Wilde 56). His love for Sibyl temporarily relieves the control Henry has over Dorian. He is not as blind to Henry's negative influences but he no longer believes that succumbing to temptation is pleasurable. He feels that pleasure "is to adore some one" (Wilde 57). Dorian seems to be gaining his conscience back, which gives Lord Henry a greater desire to corrupt and control Dorian. However, through Dorian's actions, and his abrupt change, Wilde suggests that Dorian is weak and does not foreshadow much improvement with Dorian's conscience and strength. Dorian is easily influenced by Lord Henry, which shows his weakness. He falls in love and is completely enveloped so that he looses sight of himself. This also shows weakness. He is able to change so quickly, proving his weakness and Wilde infers that weakness in a person makes them more susceptible to influence.Dorian only has his conscience back for a little while until Lord Henry begins to corrupt him again. When Lord Henry begins to loose his control over Dorian, he tries even harder to regain it. Lord Henry places so much importance on Sibyl's acting skills that when she doesn't perform perfectly, Dorian is influenced to stop loving her. However, his conscience does hint that he may have been too cruel. Dorian wonders, "Had he been cruel? It was the girl's fault, not his. She disappointed him. She had been shallow and unworthy. And, yet, a feeling of infinite regre...
