Folklore Love Triangle Explained

Dive into the first ever fictional works of the 2023 Time Person of the Year, Taylor Swift. Folklore is Swift’s 8th studio album– winning 2021 Grammys Album of the Year. Folklore explores a love triangle between three teenagers, James, Betty and Augustine. While writing the album during the pandemic, Swift said she was imagining instead of being a lonely millennial woman she was a ghostly Victorian lady wandering through the woods with a candle in a candlestick holder. Hence the title: Folklore. 

Cardigan is from the point of view of Betty, though much older now. She reflects back on her relationship with James, and how her youth should not have been confused with naivety. She knew James would never commit to her completely- and yet decided to look past his betrayal and be with him. She was never a fool- she was simply in love. Explore our first track- Cardigan.

Switching perspectives now to James, the song Betty reveals his summer affair with Augustine. Throughout the track James refuses to take accountability for his actions, hiding behind his foolishness of only being 17. You can hear Betty bitterly talk about this in Cardigan when she says people say you know nothing. She is still upset all these years later over James appearing on her doorstep begging for– and assuming he will receive forgiveness after a summer of betrayal. James minimizes the hurt he caused Augustine over the summer, discarding her as ‘just a summer fling’. His lack of accountability for all of the hurt he caused is astounding. Hear it for yourself, with the next track, Betty.

Looping in the third piece of our love triangle, Augustine. This song highlights the perspective of the other woman. She’s not heartbroken, wretched or angry. She is simply a girl who is trying to make peace while reminiscing about that fleeting summer and the feelings that came along with it. Augustine knew what she had gotten herself into with James, much like Betty she wanted to Live for the hope of it all. Wishing that maybe James would fall for her the way she fell for him. Take a listen.

As this tumultuous love story comes to a close, we must applaud Swift for her masterful storytelling and ability to capture the complexity of human emotion. She explores impulsivity, love and regret– all extremely relatable topics for her vast audience. 

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