Taylor Swift identified the narrator of “august” as Augustine.
The character is the unnamed girl at the center of the song’s summer romance with James. In Folklore’s fictional storyline, she becomes emotionally attached to James even though he is connected to Betty, his earlier or continuing love interest.
Swift discussed the character in Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions and said she personally calls her Augustine or Augusta. “August” itself does not repeatedly present the name as a conventional character introduction, which is why listeners sometimes refer to her simply as the unnamed narrator.
The three related songs use different viewpoints: “Cardigan” centers on Betty, “Betty” gives James’s perspective, and “august” presents Augustine’s side of the story.