In Taylor Swift’s Folklore love triangle, James returns to Betty after his brief romance with Augustine in “august.”
The song describes Augustine’s memories of a summer relationship with James. Although the romance feels intense to Augustine, James ultimately abandons her and reconciles with his former lover, Betty. That outcome connects “august” to the two other songs that complete the album’s three-perspective narrative.
“Cardigan” is associated with Betty’s viewpoint, while “Betty” is associated with James’s viewpoint. Together, the three songs show the same teenage relationship through different emotional lenses rather than presenting the story in a single chronological account.
A frequent mix-up is treating Augustine as James’s final partner because she narrates “august.” She is the character remembering the relationship, not the person James returns to. The names also should not be confused with characters from other Folklore songs, such as Rebekah Harkness in “The Last Great American Dynasty.”