Whose perspective narrates Taylor Swift's “august”?

Taylor Swift's “august” is narrated from the perspective of an unnamed young woman.

She describes a brief summer romance with James, a boy who is already involved with Betty. The narrator hopes the relationship might become real, cancels plans in case James calls, and remembers the summer with a mixture of excitement and regret. When the season ends, she realizes that James was never truly hers to lose.

Unlike “Cardigan” and “Betty,” the song does not give its narrator a firm name. Swift has said she imagined calling the character Augusta or Augustine in her head, which led fans to use those names. They are useful labels for discussion, but neither is the character's official name in the song.

The fictional viewpoint is also important because Folklore departed from Swift's strongly autobiographical public image. “August” uses invented characters and a third-person story world while still delivering emotions that feel personal and recognizable.