svolgimento

Svolgimento is an Italian noun derived from the verb svolgere, meaning to unfold or to carry out. In literary and narrative contexts, it denotes the development or unfolding of events within a story—the progression of action from the initial setup through rising action to climax and resolution. The term is commonly used in Italian analyses to describe how the plot advances, how scenes are arranged, and how tensions are introduced, developed, and ultimately resolved. It contrasts with the exposition, which presents the setting and characters, and with the ending, since the svolgimento concerns the main body of action and the turning points that drive the narrative toward its conclusion.

Beyond narrative use, svolgimento can refer to the execution or performance of a task or plan, the carrying out of procedures or duties. In this broader sense it overlaps with the more general term sviluppo (development), though svolgimento emphasizes process and sequence in the conduct of activities rather than the outcome alone.

In criticism and study, analysts may examine the svolgimento to assess pacing, coherence, and structure: where and why events occur, how momentum is maintained, and how the ending is prepared. The term is standard in Italian scholarship and is also encountered in translations or discussions of Italian literature in English-language contexts.

See also: plot development; narrative structure; exposition; pacing.