George Bernard Shaw was an Irish playwright, critic, and political activist who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1925. He is best known for his plays, which often tackled social issues such as poverty, education, and marriage. His most famous works include Pygmalion, Major Barbara, and Saint Joan. Shaw was a member of the Fabian Society, a socialist organization, and was a strong advocate for women's rights. He was also a vegetarian and a teetotaler.