In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, how long is Juliet’s sleeping potion intended to last?

Juliet’s sleeping potion in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is intended to last 42 hours.

Friar Laurence gives Juliet the potion after her father insists that she marry Paris. The friar explains that it will make her appear dead, allowing her to avoid the wedding while a message is sent to Romeo. He describes the effect as lasting 42 hours, after which Juliet should awaken.

The plan depends on precise timing. Romeo is supposed to learn that Juliet is alive and meet her at the Capulet tomb. However, Friar John cannot deliver the explanatory letter because he is detained during a suspected plague quarantine. Romeo instead hears only that Juliet has died.

The potion’s stated duration is sometimes rounded or misremembered in adaptations. Shakespeare’s text gives the specific period of 42 hours, making the failed communication especially consequential.