In Taylor Swift’s Folklore love triangle, the narrator of “August” loves James.
The song follows a teenage girl who has a brief summer romance with James. She hopes the relationship might become more meaningful, but James is already connected to Betty and ultimately returns to her.
“August” presents the story from the perspective of the girl involved in the summer fling. Swift did not give that character a definitive name, although she referred to her internally as Augusta or Augustine. James and Betty, by contrast, are explicitly named in the connected songs.
The three perspectives are divided across “August,” “Cardigan,” and “Betty.” “Cardigan” centers on Betty, while “Betty” presents James’s perspective and his apology after the summer incident.