You're intended to feel like the random peasant you are, so you'll get shredded in combat until you train.
It's a combination of controls that aren't super common, and your character being extremely slow and unskilled/unathletic to start. It's not like most games, where you start with less damage and a limited set of tools. Your animations reflect your lack of skill as well. You really can't just power through. You have to use other tools and minimize encounters until you get taught and practice how to fight.