Dying is fine character wise, at most you lose some items and a few skill levels.
It can even be beneficial if you get better traits.
Read through the guide linked at the top of here. Covers most of it.
Spears are good for new players as they allow you extra reach and keep you away from heavy hitting mobs.
Just try out everything. You cannot go wrong in the game – at most you lose some time, which as you’re playing a game I’m guessing you have to spare ^_^