In Taylor Swift’s “august,” whose perspective tells the fictional love-triangle story?

An unnamed female character tells the fictional love-triangle story in Taylor Swift’s “august.”

The narrator describes a brief summer romance with James, who is already connected to Betty. She hopes the relationship might become permanent, but the summer ends and James ultimately returns to Betty. The narrator’s lack of a stated name is central to the song’s emotional position in the story.

“cardigan” presents Betty’s perspective, while “betty” presents James’s perspective. Together, the three songs form a fictional narrative often called Folklore’s teenage love triangle. Swift said she privately imagined names such as Augusta or Augustine for the “august” character, but the lyrics themselves do not identify her with a formal name.