Did William Shakespeare invent the knock joke?

William Shakespeare did not invent the knock joke. Knock-knock jokes have existed in various forms for centuries and can be traced back to ancient Roman and Greek times. They were initially known as "riddle jokes," where one person would pose a riddle, and the other would respond with an unexpected or humorous answer. However, the term "knock-knock" jokes likely originated in the early 20th century when comedians started using the distinctive "knock-knock" format in their routines. Some of the earliest known written examples of knock-knock jokes date back to the 1920s.